Annoying Hermione
by Curiositykils
Summary: Out of every witch Draco could have picked to date, he had to pick the one witch that Hermione couldn't stand. AU/ Characters are OOC. Complete
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling and so have no claim over any names you recognise. The plot is also based on the book Tuesday's Child by Louise Bagshawe. _

ooo

I open the front door of the flat I share with my roommate. After taking my coat off and hanging it up neatly on the coat pegs I coerced my roommate to put up the Muggle way, I slip out of my flat shoes and pause in the dark hallway.

Hearing a scuffle coming from upstairs I smile as I realise I'm not the only one home.

"Draco?" I call up the stairs.

It's only a few moments before the candles in the hallway light up and Draco's head pops over the banister.

"I'm home." I say.

He smiles in answer before jogging down the stairs to where I'm standing on the lower floor.

When he reaches me we move into the kitchen.

"Girlfriend around?" I ask him casually.

"She's working." Draco replies as he moves to the cupboard and gets out two mugs.

Excellent. Draco is much more fun by himself.

I flick my wand at the kettle before settling into one of the chairs at the breakfast table.

I open my mouth to ask him what he wants for dinner when he gets there first.

"Thought we could order in Chinese. My treat." He says. "Holyhead Harpies are playing Wimbourne Wasps. Astoria won't be back till eight."

I roll my eyes at the predictable food choice despite my soaring spirits. "Make it a pizza with extra cheese and chilies and you're on. I've had a craving for pizza all day."

A Quidditch game, yummy food and my best mate. What more does a girl need? I get to spend some decent time with Draco before Annoying Astoria comes around and demands all his attention.

"Deal." Draco says with a large grin, clearly looking forward to the night himself.

As well he should. Come tomorrow morning he'll be back working in his office at the Department of Magical Law whereas I'll be doing my favourite thing in the world; reading, reading and more reading with a touch of reviewing for Book Worm Magazine.

Regardless of the money he earns, I don't envy Draco one bit. I definitely have the better end of the stick. I wouldn't change my life one bit.

ooo

Unfortunately the perfect evening doesn't last for as long as I wish it. At precisely eight there is a light lady-like rap on the front door and the seventeen minutes since that knock have been spent in interrupting silence.

"I don't think I'll ever understand this game." Astoria titters.

I flash the woman a tight smile before my gaze moves back onto the television screen.

"It's just so confusing! And look at how fast and high up they're flying. I can't believe you played this game at Hogwarts Draco. I would be holding my breath until the end of each game praying that you wouldn't get hurt."

My eyebrows rise in laughter at the words and I don't quite manage to muffle my snort.

It earns me a look of disdain from Astoria but fortunately Draco hasn't heard me as he simply gives Astoria a kiss on the lips and bends his head to whisper something in her ear. That something causes Astoria to titter shrilly (yes titter is the only word I know to describe the high pitched noise that comes out of Astoria's mouth) before she slaps his arm playfully.

"Draco. We have company." She says laughingly.

"Hermione doesn't mind does she?" Draco asks without looking at me.

Oh Merlin no. At least if they're behind closed doors I won't need to witness this disgusting display.

"Nope." I say out loud. My gaze turns back to face the screen.

"So how is your _little_ magazine Hermione?" Astoria says. I don't bother correcting her on the fact that Book Worm Magazine isn't actually my magazine.

"It's good thanks." I reply back distractingly.

My eyes widen as I see a Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies get closer to the goal. Suddenly out of nowhere the beater of the Wasps uses his club to whack the end of her broom.

"Bloody hell." I yell at the screen. "That's a foul!"

"The referee is a complete idiot." Draco says, shaking his head in disgust as the man motions for the game to carry on with no penalty for the offending player.

"Such language." Astoria says as she wrinkles her tiny pert nose. "I hope you don't talk like that at work. Even a little magazine like yours must have some professional standards."

"Astoria." Draco warns.

"I'm sorry darling," she pouts at him, "But it's hardly an adequate job. Book reviewing is more of a side job, a hobby if you will. It isn't really a fitting job for the brightest witch of her age."

I stare at her, daring her to say the words. _But then Hermione isn't the brightest witch of her age anymore is she? _I so want to show her just how wrong she is. Just because I haven't taken any of the jobs that were expected of me, it doesn't mean that I've let my mind wither away.

"How's your work going Astoria?" I ask instead. I have to play nice. Draco isn't just my best friend- he's also my landlord and Astoria is his girlfriend. I can only imagine horrible things befalling the woman in my head. Living with Draco and his Slytherin ways have definitely rubbed off on me.

"Oh it's wonderful." she replies with a flick of her long mane of black hair.

I suppress a shudder of irritation. What I would give to be able to flick my own wild mane in the same manner. If I was ever to try I would probably end up tangling my fingers in the curls and the pain that would follow in the untangling process would just not be worth it.

Astoria works for a magazine too. Only hers is called *ITCHES and she probably earns five times as much as me. It recently overtook Witch Weekly as the UK's number one female fashion magazine.

Astoria doesn't think much of the knee length skirts and jumpers that I wear to work. She doesn't think much of the old jeans or loose T-shirts that I wear at home. Come to think of it, Astoria doesn't approve of anything I wear…or do.

I glance over at Draco, hoping that he's looking and appreciating the effort I'm making. He's always saying that I need to be nicer and get to know Astoria better.

"So what's new?" I ask her.

She starts babbling away on the new features she's going to be involved in and I Mmm in pretend interest.

When she stops talking it takes me a while to realise that the room has gone quiet. I don't recover quickly enough to hope that the two of them think I was actually listening. I glance at Draco and he's giving me that disappointed look. Damn.

I smile brightly at Astoria in an effort to apologise to him. "That sounds great Astoria. I'm sure you're going to be really busy for the next few months."

"Oh it's nothing that I can't handle." She says breezily.

A whistle goes off and when I turn back to the T.V it's to witness the celebrations of the Wasps. Double damn.

Draco and Astoria stand up from the sofa and Draco grabs his jacket.

"Going anywhere nice?" I enquire politely as I stand to see them off.

"It's the new place that's just opened in Diagon Alley. You know- the place that's been winning all those awards. You wouldn't like it Hermione." She looks pointedly at the nearly empty pizza box on the table.

I ignore her. "Well I hope you have a fun time." I say mainly to Draco.

"Oh don't worry." She says as she snakes her hand through Draco's arm. "We're going to have a _very_ special night."

Draco looks at me. "Don't wait up Mione." He smiles before the two of them apparate away.

I sigh exaggeratingly in relief before collapsing back down on the sofa. The television is now replaying the highlights of the game and I settle back to watch the bits that I missed when Astoria was asking her stupid questions. The last piece of pizza is looking at me temptingly and I reach forward to finish it off. The fact that Astoria would be appalled makes it all the more pleasurable.

I really don't know what Draco sees in her. Actually, scratch that. I completely know what Draco sees in her. Astoria is a whole host of things that make her attractive to the opposite sex. She's pretty, she's always well dressed in her little dresses and flowery cardigans, she acts like the Pureblood lady she is and she has a job that pays well.

She has everything that makes her Draco's type. In fact, out of all the girls that I've ever seen him date, before moving in with him and after, Astoria seems to have the complete package.

Yet why can't I get along with her. Why does she annoy me so much? Annoying Astoria.

It's not that I'm even jealous of her. Draco and I are friends and that's it. That's all I ever want to be with him. I as much as told him so when I moved in. We've been friends for years ever since Harry and Pansy got together. Being forced to spend time together at various parties our friends had thrown meant we figured out that we have a surprising amount in common. This eventually led to a strong friendship.

At the time, I was roommates with Ginny and Draco had been living with Blaise. When Blaise and Ginny had started dating and decided to move in together, it seemed like the easiest thing if I moved in with Draco.

And so that is what happened. The past two years have passed with no problems. Only now Annoying Astoria is in the picture.

Draco is one of my best friends. After my brief relationship with Oliver Wood I made the decision to never date a friend again. It complicated things that shouldn't be complicated. And I'd learnt my lesson.

And it isn't as if Draco is interested in me. If he was, surely our harmless friendly flirting would have amounted to something. Especially after we've polished off a few too many bottles of wine together. But it hasn't and that's a good thing. If we dated and something had gone wrong like they had with Oliver than I would have mucked up something really great.

And slightly less importantly, there would be no way that I could carry on living in Draco's wonderful flat. Oliver can barely stand to be in the same room as me now- the awkwardness being too much for him. I can't imagine not seeing or talking to Draco everyday.

I shake my head. There is no point in thinking what if. Before Annoying Astoria there had been Annoying Marietta and before her, Annoying Eliza.

I'm sure there is some sort of factory that makes them all and Draco is a VIP customer.

They are all the same.

And then I think of something that cheers me up. They _are_ all the same. Which means that pretty soon Annoying Astoria will be walking daintily right out of my life. After all, Draco has barely had a relationship that's lasted longer than six months. He started dating Astoria around last Winter. Which means that in less than a month, he will be seeing a new Annoying woman and she will definitely be an improvement on Astoria.

I smile before deciding that soon my life is about to get even more perfect than it already is.

ooo

I grumble as I swat at the shoulder shaking me.

"Hermione."

"No, she's not here."

Draco carries on ruthlessly. Eventually I crack open an eye. It's the only way Draco can see the evil glare I'm giving him. I'd been up late last night reading the latest book I need to review and hadn't gotten to bed until the early hours of the morning.

"What do you want?" I mumble.

Draco shifts to move a cup of tea in front of me. I sigh before moving to sit up in bed.

"Don't think a cup of tea is going to get me to forgive you." I say as I move to take the cup from him.

I take a sip and the taste floods my mouth. Hot and sweet, just as I like it. I watch silently as he shifts a few books off my bed and moves to place them on my desk.

His gaze flies around the expanse of my room and I know he's itching to straighten it out. Out of the two of us, he's definitely the clean freak. The books lying haphazardly all over the place will definitely be niggling away at him.

"I have to tell you something." He says as he turns to look at me.

I lift my eyebrows. "Sounds ominous. Good or bad."

"A bit of both."

I smile at him in encouragement.

He looks awkward for a moment before he smiles widely, "I'm getting married."

There's no crazy moment where I choke and splutter on the tea or drop it all over me. Instead there's silence for two seconds before I force a beaming smile on my face.

"That's great Draco. I'm so happy." I lie. "You could have told me you were planning on asking her to marry you." I say as I slap his arm. I feel quite sad that he didn't confide in me.

"Actually I didn't ask her. She asked me. It was the 29th yesterday. Leap year you know."

"She asked you?" I say incredulously. That is definitely something I never thought Astoria would do. I thought she'd have wanted the whole getting down on one knee thing. Something more traditional.

"Yep." He replies.

"And you said yes!" I say excitedly. Or at least in a voice that I hope portrays excitement.

He nods his head to confirm the horrid truth.

"So is Astoria going to be moving in with us?"

The smile drops off his face. "Actually that's the bad bit."

"She's not moving in?" I ask puzzled.

"No, no. She will be moving in once we're married." Draco moves to squeeze my shoulder. "I'm sorry Mione. I really am. But I'm going to have to ask you to move out."

ooo

As soon as Draco leaves for work I manage to drag myself out of bed. I resist the urge to go into his room and mess it up to annoy him. I resist the urge to go into his drawers and dump all of Astoria's clothes in the bin. I try to resist the urge to not empty all of Astoria's expensive perfume down the bathroom sink when I'm brushing my teeth. I only drop a little down the hole but now the whole bathroom smells like a perfumery. I open the window so that when Draco gets home he won't notice anything suspicious.

How can he be marrying Astoria? He was supposed to dump her and move on! Not go ahead and marry her! The one woman that I can't stand for more than a few minutes and he wants to spend the rest of his life with her!

I know I don't have a say in the witches he dates. But seriously, Annoying Astoria! What does he see in her? Draco once drunkenly told me what he wanted in a wife. I tick off the things on his list with the attributes Astoria possesses and become even more depressed. Is it just me? Am I the crazy one for not liking her?

Dejectedly I dress myself and get ready to apparate out of my flat. My lovely flat that's ten minutes walk away from Diagon Alley. I'm not rich. There was no reward given by the Ministry for helping to kill Voldemort- not that I would have kept it but still... Where am I going to find a nice flat with the money I earn?

Sighing I apparate to work instead of calling in sick to take a "me" day.

I need the money.

ooo

Book Worm Magazine is an independent little magazine that's run by Mr Hastings, a sixty-three year old widower. He lost his wife over twenty years ago and sometimes I still catch him looking forlornly at the picture he has of her on his desk. He's the sweetest man I've ever known and he makes up a quarter of BWM.

Zacharias is twenty-one and reviews books that fall under the sci-fi genre.

Jenna is eight years older than me and at thirty-two is fast running out of hope that Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome is going to stride through her door and whisk her away, not to dissimilar from the romance books she reviews.

And there's me. I take up the last desk in the cramped room. If you haven't got the idea already, we're pretty much a fan-based organization. But that's not a bad thing. It means we get to review the great books out there that the bigger magazines turn their noses down at.

I look around the room and feel guilty at what I'm about to do. I've been working here for the last four years and I've never asked for a raise. "Today, that's going to change," I think with conviction.

I march into Mr Hastings's room and his beaming smile when he sees me makes me falter slightly.

"Morning Mr Hastings." I say.

"Hermione. Lovely day isn't it." He beams.

I glance out of the window and take in the cold February morning before turning back to face him. His beaming face is starting to scare me a little now. Something is definitely wrong.

Ignoring my gut instinct I press on. Taking the seat in front of his desk I clear my throat.

"Mr Hastings. As you know, I've worked here at BWM for the last four years and it's been great. Recently, I've begun thinking about the future-"

I get cut off. "Oh the future! Of course we can talk about that now. In fact, you can be the first to know."

"Know what."

"I…sold the magazine!"

There's a long second where all I do is stare at him.

"You've sold the magazine?" I say numbly.

The smile wipes of Mr Hastings's face. "Oh Hermione. Please don't look at me like that. I was approached by Book Review and agreed to their offer."

Book Review! _Book Review! _They're one of the corporate magazines that the four of us look our own noses down at.

"Book Review?" I say, struggling to hide the surprise in my voice.

"It looks like they've been taking more notice of us than I thought."

"Oh…well I guess it won't be so bad writing for them. I mean, it'll still be the four of us."

Mr Hastings's brow furrows. "Um not quite Hermione. We won't be merging with Book Review."

"Then what?" I ask.

"It's more like we're being eliminated."

"What!" I shriek.

"Don't worry Hermione. I've written you a great reference. You'll have no problem getting a job elsewhere."

"I'm out of a job!"

This can't be happening. This seriously can't be happening. First my home…and now my job!

This is a horrible day. The most horrible since the day of the Final Battle.

Mr Hastings is quick to reassure me. "You're out of _this_ job Hermione. You're sure to all land on your feet. You especially."

I hate to say it but tears are gathering in my eyes. When I next speak my voice is dangerously close to breaking. "You're dumping us."

"Oh Hermione. Please don't cry mate. I've worked here for so long. I just…can't afford it anymore." He says with annoying reasonableness. "And no-one really wants to read books anymore. It's all Quidditch or these new Muggle compuper games."

I don't bother to correct him. "What about Jenna and Zack?"

Mr Hastings looks at me sympathetically. "Zack has a degree in Muggle Studies and Jenna's father is an ex Quidditch player. I only meant to help you with the reference."

"I know."

"I mean, it's not as if you have a degree to fall back on."

"I know."

"And you have no other experience working anywhere else."

"I know."

"And ever since you took this job, well people's opinions..."

He doesn't need to say much more. It all leads up to one thing. I'm screwed.

ooo

I decide to walk home at the end of the day. I make a detour to Diagon Alley to by a copy of the Prophet so I can scour the wanted ads. Only everywhere I look the same two words pop out at me.

Experience. Wanted.

I'm not even qualified to work as a secretary! A secretary! Now I hold no offense against secretaries but I'm the brightest witch of my age. Typing letters in a monotnous motion all day is not what I or my parents probably envisioned from my life.

Why in Merlin's name did I not listen to everyone when they said I was crazy to accept a position at BWM? Why did I think that doing something that I wanted to do for the first time in my life and not live up to other people's expectations was a good idea!

I'm still re-scouring the pages of the Prophet when Draco gets home. Please be alone. Please be alone. I really don't have the strength to play nice with Annoying Astoria right now.

"Hey." Draco says as he walks into the front room.

I smile in relief. "Hi."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" I say, only it comes out like a strangled kitten is speaking. "I'm fine."

"Hermione...Is it still this morning?" he asks guiltily as he sits down next to me.

I shake my head even though I'm nodding inside my mind.

"I got fired this morning. But apart from that I'm fine."

Unfortunately that's the moment I burst into tears.

Draco stiffens up next to me before quickly transfiguring a quill into a handkerchief. I wipe my eyes messily. I'm so embarrassed. I don't think he's ever seen me cry since we've become friends. Which is funny because I seem to cry at the drop of a hat.

"Come on." He says as he stands up from the sofa.

I look up at him through blurry eyes. "Come where." I say croakily.

"I'm taking you out for dinner. Indian. Your favourite." He says.

I know he feels guilty. Draco hates Indian. He can't stand anything spicy. Whenever I make dinner, I have to make two separate dishes. One bland one for him and a hot one for me.

Then a thought pops into my head. No job means no money. Oh Merlin…here come some more tears.

"I'm broke." I say into the handkerchief.

Draco grabs hold of my left arm and pulls me up. "I'm not. It'll be my treat."

"Well…I am hungry."

"You can get whatever dessert you want." He cajoles.

And I guess I'm in no position to turn down free food.

ooo

The Calcutta Cauldron is located on the main road that runs through Diagon Alley. Despite its name, it's an incredibly posh place. The kind that normally doesn't permit diners that are dressed in jeans and a jumper like I am.

Whether it's the fact they see my teary eyes or the fact that they recognize who I am, Draco and I are escorted promptly to a table in the back of the restaurant.

Over the course of the evening and as more and more delicious dishes make their way to the table, I find myself cheering up.

It's a good thing I was hungry. Draco's barely touched his food- only taking the minimum to dip his naan bread into. The few chicken pieces he does take, he shifts around his plate to get as much sauce of as possible. The sauce is the best bit!

I'm in the middle of chewing a particular large bite of chicken myself when I catch Draco staring at me.

I chew quickly and swallow. "What." I say self-consciously.

"Nothing," he says as he shakes his head, "You and your appetite."

I flush red. Oh Merlin. I try to laugh off the embarrassment. "What. You're saying I eat like a pig?"

"Oh Merlin no." he says hastily. "Believe me, it's a good thing that you have a healthy appetite. A curvy body is much more attractive than a stick thin one."

Three things pop into my mind.

Firstly, I shake my head at his words. It's something my Dad used to tell me when I was younger and I never really believed him. I mean he's my Dad- he's supposed to make me feel better.

My second thought is when Draco's words really hit home. He thinks I have attractive curves! Draco is my best friend and I don't think of him in that way but I still get a shiver of female satisfaction at his words.

Thirdly is how if he finds a "healthy appetite" so attractive, have I never seen Astoria eating anything normal?

"And Astoria pigs out too does she?" I say half teasingly and half curiously.

Draco gets a look of confusion over his face.

"She tends to pick at whatever foods she chooses to eat. I suppose it's a Pureblood thing. Pansy used to do the same. Something about if you're a lady you leave a small amount of food on your plate."

I glance down at the two dishes that I've scraped clean.

Draco sees my look. "I like how you eat mate. Wasting food doesn't seem lady-like to me."

"You're the second guy today to call me mate." I comment randomly.

As soon as the words are out of my mouth I wish I hadn't said them.

"We are mates, aren't we?"

I shake my head. "Of course we are. Sorry, I'm being crazy. It's just been a tough day."

There's a rare uncomfortable silence before Draco voices the thoughts that are running through my mind.

"Hermione, just because I'm marrying Astoria, doesn't mean that we won't hang out all the time."

"I know." I lie.

The words sound feeble to even my own ears. I know I'm being crazy. I'm actually feeling jealous of Astoria. She's taking Draco away from me…my home…she has an amazing job. While I have…

Oh damn, don't cry. Don't cry.

"You know I might be able to help you out with the job."

"I don't want to be a secretary." I say as I take a sip of wine.

I see Draco wince. "It's actually not as important as a secretary. But it should pay well-enough for you to find another flat-share."

Not as important as a secretary!

"What?" I say suspiciously.

"Advertising."

My forkful of salad stops short of my mouth. "Advertising?"

I'd be one of those corporate people that look miserable. I shudder at the thought.

"Mione." Draco says warningly.

Uh-oh, he's getting that angry look on his face- like when I promise to do the dishes whenever he cooks and forget about them till the next day.

"Your twenty-four- nearly twenty-five. You need to get a proper job."

Well I'll admit that stings.

"A proper job?"

His face softens. "You know what I mean. I supported you working at BWM because I knew you needed a break after the War to do something for yourself for once. But you need to get serious now. You're the brightest witch of your age." He says encouragingly. "If you work with Theo you'll have the opportunity for a proper career."

I try to muster up the same level of enthusiasm that Draco has. "Theo?"

"Theo Nott. He was in our year at Hogwarts."

The name rings a bell.

"He moved to America after the War and set up a successful advertising business. He's recently expanded back to the UK and needs a receptionist."

I mull over his words over a poppadom. I know his words make sense in my head. I mean I am jobless- it's not as if I have the right to be picky. But there's still a snooty voice in my head telling me that I'm so much better than being a receptionist. I mean people thought I'd be an Auror or a lawyer like Draco or something equally internationally renowned.

Hermione Granger- office receptionist doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

"OK." I agree hesitantly.

"He'll offer you the job but you'll have to make a few changes."

"Like what." I say suspiciously.

"He's a major player in the market. Which means he expects the best from his staff."

"So I need a makeover."

"No. Just need to change a few things. Like the way you dress. I don't think he's looking for the…bookish…homey…look. Maybe modify how you act. How you portray yourself." He laughs uneasily and I quickly move to hide my bitten fingernails under the table.

"No more mess. No more jeans and T-shirts or jumpers. No more burrowing your head in a book."

"No more fun." I say childishly.

"Not really. I mean, it's just at work. Oh, I have the perfect idea. Astoria will give you a few tips."

My heart plummets at the words but Draco sounds so happy at the thought that I can't seem to bring myself to do anything but nod my head.

"This will be great. I'll be able to pull a few strings and you should be able to start in a few days."

I realise how silly I'm acting. Draco's doing this for me and I'm acting ridiculous. "Thanks Draco. This is really great."

Draco nods his head and smiles at me in return.

ooo

I spend the next day cleaning out my room. My books are piled into boxes and then shrunk to a hundredth of their actual size. I lock them away in my truck for safe keeping. I find myself staring at the empty room in wonder when I'm finished. Without the books covering its every surface, it looks…wrong.

When Draco gets home he isn't alone. It's the first time I've seen Astoria since Draco told me of their wedding and I plaster a smile across my face. I can do this for Draco.

"Astoria! I believe congratulations are in order."

"It's best wishes."

"Excuse me?" I say puzzled.

"You say congratulations to the prospective groom. You give the prospective bride your best wishes."

"Oh. Well best wishes."

"Thank You." She smiles at me with a look in her eye that I can't quite decipher.

I turn to face Draco. "Well I cleaned my room out." I say brightly.

"Oh really." Astoria says happily. "That's good news. I thought you were never going to move out." She titters.

Draco chuckles and I'm left standing there confused at her words which I'm pretty sure weren't meant in the jokey way she said them.

"Well I think we should celebrate." Draco says. "I owled Theo today and he's happy for you to start next Monday."

"Great." I force a smile on my face.

He turns to face Astoria, "Maybe you could take Hermione shopping sometime before then. You know get some dresses and maybe get your hair and nails done."

Sounds like hell to me but Astoria is already agreeing and I can't very well say no can I?

"Of course darling. I think it'll be good for Hermione and I to have a girls day. Get to know each other better and air a few things out."

Oh Merlin. That really doesn't sound like fun.

"We just bought some salmon for dinner. Astoria and I will be able to knock you up a delicious meal in no time."

I try to make my excuses but it's no use. In half an hour I'm eating a wonderfully cooked piece of fish.

It's so unfair. Astoria doesn't eat and she can cook amazingly. I on the other hand would eat my own hand if the situation was dire enough and I can't even cook pasta without the help of magic.

"Oh before I forget," Draco says as he stands up from the table and moves to get something from his jacket pocket. It's a bundle of paper and he hands it over to me.

"Theo sent me your contract for you to read through."

I skim the first paragraph of legal jargon before my eyes land on my wages. My eyes widen and my brain struggles to believe what I'm seeing. £20,000? To sit at a desk and answer phone calls! That's nearly double what I'm currently earning!

Maybe this job won't be such a bad idea after all.

ooo

I manage to sit through another forty-five minutes of dinner. The breaking point comes when Astoria manages to figure out how much I'm going to be earning. Instead of joining in with my happiness she condescendingly says "how everyone has to start somewhere."

I make out like I forgot that I have to meet Ginny and leave dinner early.

I decide to visit Harry and Pansy. Hopefully they won't mind me spending a few hours in front of their television or in their library. At least that way I'll get back home late enough to not hear Draco and Astoria shagging.

ooo

_Author's Note: So here's my new story. I'm having a hard time writing the next chapter of Deceit so hopefully this story accompanied by what will be your lovely reviews will push me! Until next time, Curiositykils_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank You for the wonderful response I got for the first chapter and I hope you enjoy this one too..._

ooo

Mine and Astoria's girly day starts off in hell and carries on in hell. If I could bet everything in my Gringotts account that it's going to finish in hell- well I wouldn't be rich but I'd still be richer than present.

After making her various put downs about the jeans and jumper I pick to wear for the day, the first stop is Brocklehurst's Beauty Spa. My nails are dipped into a potion and in fifteen minutes they've grown and are buffed and polished till they're light pink in colour. I was veering towards the neon colors the shop displayed in their window but when I vocalized my thought and listened to the subsequent laughing from Astoria, I didn't press the fact that I wasn't kidding.

Next stop is the hairdressers. Oh not the hairdressers- the hair salon as Astoria snootily points out to me. "Anyone with class knows that Hermione."

Regardless of the whole grating on my nerves thing, I'm still trying to get on with her. Draco better appreciate the suffering I'm going through for him.

After the hair salon where I get my hair cut in such a way that even after shaking my head around like a wild woman, it falls naturally back in place, Astoria decides it's time for lunch.

When she casually suggests Juniper I nearly have a heart attack.

"That's really expensive." I tell her, worrying about the cost of the meal.

"Oh Hermione. I eat in places like Juniper at the drop of a hat. I suppose for someone who eats many of her meals out of paper bags, dining at Juniper will be a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Look Astoria-" I start to say.

"Hermione, *ITCHES are paying for all of this. Don't worry your brainy little head. Draco told me you were having financial difficulties."

"You've talked about me?" I asked numbly. Draco's talked about me? Behind my back is one thing…but to Astoria?

"Well naturally we've discussed you. We needed to sort out this little awkward situation we've found ourselves in. It's the reason for the little talk I wanted to have with you." She looks around at the passing crowds before giving a light girly laugh. "Oh but I could positively kill for some champagne. We'll talk over lunch."

I don't know what to say. My mind is buzzing with every horrid thing Draco could have told her about me. Why would he have done that? I'm so embarrassed. I don't want her to "accidentally" tell everyone about how skint I am. Merlin, how horrible would that be!

Unfortunately I can't seem to squeeze anything out of Astoria until we're sat at a table in Juniper and she's sipping on some champagne. Taking Draco's advice I order a glass of the most expensive wine on the menu. I best get used to the taste- I am going to be drinking it often enough in the future.

Astoria has barely swallowed her first sip when her face gets all serious. I take a hasty gulp from my own glass, getting the feeling that I'll be needing the alcohol if I'm going to get through the conversation that's about to take place.

"We need to talk." she says.

I mutely raise an eyebrow.

"About Draco." She says steely.

"Oh?"

"It's over."

That gets my attention. I immediately sit up in my chair. "What. Already?" I gasp.

Astoria's jaw clenches. "Not me. For you. You and Draco. It's over. Done. Dusted. Finished."

"Of course it is." I say confused. "I'm moving out as soon as I can find a place."

She scowls. "That's not what I'm talking about. I mean this silly school girl crush you seem to have on him. Always trailing around after him. Constantly hounding him. It has to stop."

"Trailing around after him?" I repeat her words dumbly. "We hang out because we like the same things."

"Oh sure." She scoffs. "That's all very convenient isn't it?"

Is this woman crazy?

"What? It's why Draco and I are such good friends."

"Draco's marrying me. He's planning on spending the rest of his life with me. You're beginning to look quite pathetic."

"Astoria. I don't have a crush on Draco." I state firmly.

"Oh please Hermione. Everyone has noticed it. They all talk about you- his friends."

"It isn't like that."

"Oh please. A down on her luck witch moving in with a rich wizard. It isn't the first time it's happened."

"Draco isn't rich."

"No but he will be. The Malfoy's Gringotts account is known throughout the Wizarding World. And that's not including all the properties they own."

I have no clue what properties the Malfoy's own apart from Malfoy Manor. All Draco's ever told me is how much he hates his father.

"Look. I have no interest in what Draco's inheritance is going to be or not be. He's my friend. We get on."

Astoria doesn't say anything for a moment before finally speaking.

"Yes well. I just thought I should let you know where you stood. I won't take anymore flirting with my fiancée. Draco doesn't like girls like you Hermione."

And doesn't that hurt.

"Not romantically. He wants a witch who's elegant, somebody with style and grace."

And I think I'm about to start crying now. Seriously my eyes are starting to burn from the humiliation. I can't believe that's what Draco thinks of me. Merlin- all the times where I've suggested that we hang out…

"Well if Draco thinks I'm in love with him then he's mistaken. As far as I'm concerned, we're friends and that's it."

"Ah yes friends. Well I suppose we'll see you at the wedding. And occasionally after we're married. But other than that…I'm sure you understand when I say that a man's best friend is always his wife."

"Yes." I whisper.

I feel lost. Completely and utterly lost. I never felt this way when Harry moved in with Pansy or Ginny and Blaise got together.

The food arrives and it looks delicious but it grates my throat as I scoff it down. Ten minutes later I simply stop trying. Standing up from my chair I make a quick excuse and don't bother waiting for Astoria's reply before rushing out of the restaurant.

There's only one place that I want to be right now. A few days at home spent with my parents sounds like utter bliss before I start my new job.

ooo

I call my parents as I'm packing up a few things. Dad answers and I'm so glad. Mum would start asking all the questions whose answers I really don't what to think about right now.

He's excited about my visit and like always, after hearing something in my voice, suggests that he picks me up from the local train station so we can drive home instead of me apparating straight there.

When I'm in his car I'm positive I've made the right decision. Or at least until Dad starts asking his own questions.

"How's Draco?" he asks casually.

Dad and Draco get on really well. When I first moved in with Draco, Dad made a surprise visit which he later confessed was in order to check out whether it was safe for his only single daughter to live with a man. Draco won him around in about five seconds.

"He's good."

"You and him together yet?"

I would have choked on my breath if I had been inhaling. "What are you talking about? Draco and I are just friends."

"Oh come on sweetheart. You don't have to hide these things from me. I know you were keen on him."

Does everyone in the world think I fancy Draco? Merlin's balls…

"Well I never liked him like that. He's getting married anyway."

"Oh well. He isn't the right fellow for you then is he? Don't worry Mione. It'll work out in the end."

Yeah right.

ooo

I get back home- well home for now- late on Sunday night. My plan of avoiding Draco seems to have worked because according to the note he's left me, I just missed him. He's telling me that he'll be spending the night at Astoria's and so won't be able to see me off on my first day. He wishes me luck even though I apparently won't need it and promises to take me out to dinner to celebrate.

See, he's extending the dinner invitation. Not me. I'm not trailing around after him…

ooo

The next morning I get dressed in some of the clothes I burrowed from Ginny. After expanding them and shortening them I'm finally ready. I decide to forgo the full face of make-up. Hopefully some mascara and Lipsil will give me the classy look I'm going after.

I apparate to Nott Advertising early and double take when I see where I've landed. Merlin…his offices are just around the corner from Muggle London. In fact there are actually Muggles walking up and down the street.

Hoping that no-one has seen me apparate I quickly slip through the revolving glass doors. I find myself in a decent sized atrium and my shoes click-clack embarrassingly across the floor.

"Hi, I'm here for the new receptionist job." I say to the man sitting behind the desk.

He doesn't look up before pointing me to the lifts behind him. "Level four." He mutters.

I wait for a long second expecting more information but when it's clear he's going to remain tight-lipped, I move towards the lifts.

Level four is a lot warmer than the atrium but it's not any less expensive looking. There's a main desk at which no-one is sitting and so I walk forward a little more and peer around before clearing my throat to get attention of the two witches and wizard sat at their desks.

They look up sharply when they hear the noise. The two females give me a quick once over and then with a distinct air of dismissal, turn back to their papers. The guy is the only one who raises an eyebrow in question.

"I'm here for the new receptionist job." I say to him.

There's another look over my clothes and I bristle. What's his problem?

"Take a seat and I'll let Mr Nott know you are here." He says.

I follow his instructions and have just started to flick through a Quidditch magazine when I hear footsteps coming my way.

I look up and…Merlin's balls. Was Theo Nott always this hot or was I too dense to notice him at Hogwarts?

He's just as hot as Draco! Maybe even more so. He's got the whole bad-boy vibe going on and though that's not my type, I find myself standing up to attention as he walks towards me.

Merlin, I actually feel nervous!

"You must be Miss Granger." His dark stare washes over me.

"Yes. Hermione Granger." I say as I extend my hand out for him to shake.

He allows one soft shake before dropping it.

"My office is back there. Why don't you go ahead? I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Sure." I reply before making my way into the indicated office.

I look around interestingly and sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. After two silent minutes have passed I resist the urge to crane my head around to see where he's got to.

I don't have to wait much longer before I hear the door shut behind me. I make to stand up but he does a quick hand motion to tell me to remain seated.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He says as he takes his own seat. "Would you like something to drink?"

I had thought that I'd be getting right down to work but a morning cup of coffee with my new boss seems the polite thing to do, right?

"Coffee would be great, thank you."

He sends a message through his wand and five seconds later the door to his office opens.

The wizard from earlier is standing there and Theo motions him in.

"Miss Granger would like a cup of coffee David. How do you take it?"

David looks like he's bitten into a sour lemon but he pastes a smile on his face.

"Milk. Two sugars please." I tell him before quickly adding on a thank-you.

"No problem." He lies. "And for you?" he asks Theo. Mr Nott. Theo?

"Nothing for me." My boss says. "Miss Granger's coffee will be all."

David flashes me a quick look of disdain before he leaves.

"Well done Hermione." I think to myself. "Alienating yourself from your colleagues in the first fifteen minutes of your first day is a great start."

"I understand you now know Draco Malfoy quite well?"

I turn my attention back to Theo.

"That's right."

"How long have you been friends?" He asks curiously.

"About four years."

"Really?" he says interestingly. "So are you his girlfriend."

I wiggle uncomfortably at the question. "Just a friend. He's actually getting married."

"Ah yes. I believe he mentioned something about that to me."

The thought of why he's then asking me if I'm Draco's girlfriend passes through my mind. Oh well…he must have had a momentary lapse in memory.

"So you're interested in advertising."

Um No. To tell you the truth I've never given it a thought before in my life. "Yes." I say out loud. "It's something I've always wanted to get into."

"Well it's always great to be passionate about the field you work in. Which area is of particular interest to you?"

Oh crap. My eyes dart around his office in a bid to pick out anything that Nott Advertising advertises.

There's nothing. _Nothing! _He's an ex-Slytherin. Shouldn't he have a huge ego like all the other Slytherin's I know? Shouldn't he have successful advertising campaigns hanging up in gilded frames around his office?

"Jewellery." I blurt out. At least it's something good. I mentally congratulate myself.

I wait with baited breath to see if it will be acceptable. When he gives a nod of his head I let out my breath.

"We've had a few Jewellery projects." He tells me. "Our most recent was with the House of Abbott."

"Oh?" I try to sound interested.

He starts babbling off the process they went through before coming up with the suitable advertising campaign. It seems like a lot of unnecessary work to me and I almost cry in relief when David walks back into Theo's office and he's forced to stop talking.

At the sight of David, Theo seems to revert back to professional mode. "The position that's being offered to you is on a short-term trial basis."

I'm not worried. I'm quite equipped at answering and transferring calls. But I feel the need to say something so I ask him what's expected of me.

"You are the public face of Nott Advertising so of course a polite manner is called for at all times. Clothes are particularly important- nothing revealing and no trousers." He says firmly. "I expect female workers to be feminine at all times."

I nearly blast him when he says that remark but manage to hold myself back. There's a chant of "No Money" going through my head.

"Take a look at what my two assistants, Cleo and Ruby wear to the office. You should dress like they do. All designer."

I balk. Designer? With what money?

"No problem."

"You will wear make-up in the future and perfume. Nothing too over-powering. Remember to be at the office at eight sharp everyday."

Eight. At BWM I could stroll into work at whatever time I liked at Mr Hastings wouldn't care. As long as the books were read and reviews were written, he didn't care where we wrote them or what we wore whilst doing it.

I think back to my skirts and jumpers. I had thought that they screamed professionalism but obviously not.

"That's fine." I tell Theo.

He smiles. "Well then welcome aboard Miss Granger."

"Oh please. You can call me Hermione." I tell him.

He nods his head. "And you can call me Mr Nott or sir." He tells me.

Well I guess that answers my earlier confusion. I simply smile and he nods his head satisfactorily.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off and go out and get some of the things we discussed."

i.e. I'm dressed in a way that is a potential embarrassment to Nott Advertising.

Oh well. My first day on the job and I'm getting it off. Sounds good to me…even if I do have to go shopping. And it will have to be myself since Ginny's at work.

I quickly nod my head in agreement and walk out of his office. On the way I pass Ruby and Cleo (I have no idea which one is which) and David. They all give me condescending looks and then I realise they probably think I've been fired or something so I turn around and say a quick "See you tomorrow."

The looks on their faces are priceless.

ooo

I get back home from my day of shopping at around six. I wish I could say it was the hell I was expecting it to be but honestly…I really enjoyed it!

After leaving Nott Advertising I had no clue what to buy or were to get it from and the perfect idea struck me. Magazines. I bought a bunch, Muggle and Wizard alike and scoured their pages making a strict list of the bare minimum that I needed.

And then I was off. The first shop that I went to was useless. I couldn't find anything in my size and the sales assistants that were huddled together seemed to be ignoring me. I had to practically yell to ask her if they had a skirt in a size 10. I got a snooty "We only stock up to size eight."

But the rest of the day got better. I spent quite a lot of money but hopefully Gringotts will allow me to overdraw. I'll be depositing my nice new pay-cheque in there soon anyway.

After checking that no-one's home, I take out my clothes and make-up and try everything on. I have to use the mirror in Draco's room because he's got a full length one and I'm surprised by what I see.

I don't look like myself. I look like the other girls at Nott Advertising. Mission accomplished.

O.K so I can't quite walk in these shoes but a quick charm should fix that and hopefully there's one for the itchy stockings but apart from that, I quite like how I look.

I wonder if Theo will like it?

"Hello." Comes a cooing voice. "Darling are you in here?"

Oh bugger. Astoria walks into Draco's room and stops when she sees me standing there.

"Hermione. What are you doing in Draco's room without his permission." She asks coldly.

"I was only using the mirror." I find myself explaining. "I needed a full length one to see if my new clothes looked good or not."

"You bought new clothes." She laughs.

"Yes. They're for work." I say defensively.

"Well let me see then." She demands as she walks into my room without my permission.

"I suppose somebody bought these for you." She says.

I shake my head. "I picked them out myself after looking through some magazines."

"And who did your make-up. One of those free counters?"

"I did it myself." I tell her again. "The magazines helped with that too."

Astoria's mouth seems to flap open and closed like a fish and I feel a surge of satisfaction. That means it's good then. It must be or else she wouldn't be acting like this.

"Well you've managed to pull off the average shop girl look perfectly. I suppose that's what you get when you rely on style from magazines."

I'm about to tell her that I spent a Galleon buying her magazine so what does that say when Draco pops his head around the doorframe.

He walks in and gives Astoria a peck on the cheek before doing an over-exaggerated double take when he catches sight of me.

I'm still quite angry at him for talking about me behind my back but I can't help but smile.

"Oh Merlin. Where's my roommate gone? Did you eat her?"

"Haha very funny." I reply. "What do you think?" I ask him nervously. I really want him to like it.

"You look amazing, doesn't she Astoria?"

"Amazing." Astoria replies absent-mindedly.

"Thanks." I tell him.

"I think it's time for us to go otherwise we'll never get a decent table." Astoria says.

"Well how about Hermione chooses?" he says to me.

"What?" Astoria explodes.

Draco turns to face her. "I promised Hermione that I would take her out to celebrate her first day at her new job. You are alright with that aren't you?"

Astoria quickly plasters a smile on her face. "Of course I am. Except it's been such a busy day for her. I'm sure she'll want nothing more than to curl up with some takeaway in front of the television."

I resist the urge to suggest we eat at one of the places Draco and I get takeaway from but don't want to give into her impression of me.

"Actually Astoria, a lovely dinner out seems lovely. It will give me a chance to show Draco some of the dresses I bought. How about Italian?" I say sweetly.

All those carbohydrates have to be Astoria's biggest nightmare. I'll be able to eat my full plate in satisfaction.

"Brilliant." Draco says. "I'll see if I can get us a table at Luigi's. A nice plate of pasta with my two favourite witches sounds great."

Astoria and I simply smile at him.

ooo

"This place is so romantic Draco." Astoria purrs into Draco's ear as we're shown to our dimly lit table. "You were so clever to think of it."

"Hermione thought of it." Draco replies confused.

Hah, take that Annoying Astoria.

"Hermione thought of Italian. You picked this lovely restaurant. Knowing Hermione, Italian could have meant a takeaway pizza that she seems to like so much."

She titters as she takes her seat and opens the menu. I'm completely starved and my eyes quickly search through and dismiss the dishes that I won't like.

I've never been to this restaurant before and unfortunately they don't seem to offer sausage or pepperoni on their pizzas. I eventually settle on a plain cheese pizza.

"What are you going to have?" I ask Draco.

"I think I'll go for the lobster ravioli."

From beside him Astoria shifts in her seat. "Oh darling. Are you sure. All those carbohydrates." Didn't I tell you? "They have some grilled fish which sounds delicious."

"No I think I'll stick with the pasta." Draco replies pleasantly enough.

Astoria opens her mouth as if to say something but closes it at the last second.

"So tell me about your first day." Draco says as soon as we've ordered.

"Well it was my first day and I got most of it. There's not much to tell. The office looks really amazing."

"I told you there's good money in advertising. Theo's made a name of himself from it. Not that he needs the money."

"What else do you know about him? Were you mates in Hogwarts?" I ask him, eager to learn more.

"Why?" Draco says sharply. "Fancy him?"

I feel myself flush red. "No." I laugh his question off uncomfortably. "He's my new boss. Of course I want to learn more about him."

"Oh please. Even in Hogwarts all the girls fancied him. Even the Gryffindor's." he says as he stares at me.

My brow furrows at his tone but again I laugh it off. "Honestly, I don't even remember what he looked like in Hogwarts."

Draco ignores me and turns to face Astoria. "Theo Nott is Hermione's new employer."

Astoria raises a plucked eyebrow. "He was only recently engaged to an American heiress if the grapevines are true. I don't think you'd be his cup of tea." Astoria smiles. "No offence Hermione dear."

"Ah but the new Hermione could definitely catch his eye."

Astoria doesn't reply and I flick my gaze back to Draco.

"So…were you mates with him?" I ask him again.

He shrugs. "Not really. But then again none of us were really friends during Hogwarts. Theo mostly stuck with himself. Apart from his family history and how well he's done with himself there's not much I know about him."

I'm sure I don't show my disappointment.

"Oh there was this one thing." Draco says and I instantly perk up. "He was pissed as hell when he didn't get onto the Quidditch team and I did. I still remember his face." Draco laughs and I roll my eyes at the useless information.

"How well has he done?" Astoria asks as she takes a sip of water.

Draco considers for a moment before answering. "I'm not certain. About a million Galleons. But he's definitely worth a lot more."

I nearly choke on my drink. Bloody hell…

Astoria puts her arm on Draco's. "Maybe you should get to know him darling. If he's so well connected then think of the clients he could send your way."

Draco smiles. "The Ministry sends enough clients my way."

"But it's silly to turn down something free like this."

"I'm not going to get to know him because of that. Business and friendship don't mix."

"But you asked him to give Hermione a job."

"He owed me a favour. That's the way it works sweetheart."

The food arrives at the table and Astoria gives Draco a look to say they'll be talking about this later.

The pizza is tiny. It's literally so small that I calculate it will take me seven normal size bites to polish the lot off. Oh that's just great…and I was starving too.

As I take tiny size bites in order to not finish eating so quickly my mind drifts back off to Theo. And how much I'm going to impress him tomorrow. He's going to take one look at me and think I'm a new person.

ooo

I get to work fifteen minutes early the next day, all primped and ready to impress my new boss. Only when I get there it seems he out for the whole day.

Well the hour earlier I woke up to get ready was a complete of waste of time then I think annoyingly.

David shows me to my desk before telling me that I'll be reporting to him today.

"So where is Theo?" I ask him.

David shoots me a look. "You should refer to him as Mr Nott."

Oh crap, I forgot. It just seems so strange to call someone your own age Mr Nott or even sir as he'd suggested.

"I suppose I'd better introduce you to Ruby and Cleo." He says more to himself than anyone else.

I'm quite thankful. At least that way I'll be able to differentiate the two.

Ruby, it turns out is the red head. Cleo is the blonde who ignores me completely when David introduces us.

"So Mr Nott hired you as the new receptionist then."

I smile brightly at the fact that someone wants to make small talk. Maybe Ruby and I could be friends.

"Yep." I reply.

"Yes." She says.

"Sorry?"

"Pardon me."

I merely give her a puzzled look.

"If you're going to be answering calls you must have perfect speech and elocution. Which means saying yes and pardon me. Not yep and sorry."

Friends? Did I think that ten seconds ago? Momentary craziness on my part.

"Right. Got it." I say back.

"You are the most junior member of our team and it would do you well to remember that. You report to everybody." She says which is contrary to what David just told me but I have a feeling he was lying.

She's still talking and I have to quickly kick my brain back into the present. Unfortunately I seemed to have missed all the rest of her advice as she gives me one last look before looking down at her own work.

David makes his way back to my desk and I follow him mutely. He quickly rattles off the extensions the three of them and Theo are on before informing me that when the phone isn't ringing and I'm not answering with a "May I help you" instead of "Can I help you" I'll be expected to carry out a whole host of other tasks.

He makes pouring coffee and filing sound oh so exciting.

ooo

And that's the way my first day passes. Dreadfully slowly and by the time it's quarter to five I'm counting down every second till I'm free to go back home and get out of these bloody tights.

Five silent minutes later I stop David as he walks past me.

"Is it okay to make a few calls and send a few messages?" I ask him. "I just really need to find a place to stay." I explain.

He looks at me as if I've asked for the moon. "Using company equipment and on company time?" he says condescendingly before walking off.

I take that as a no.

Come five on the dot, David and Ruby apparate off back to their dark lairs and I quickly pack up my stuff.

"Where about are you looking?" Cleo asks me.

I find myself looking up in shock that she's actually talking to me after spending the past eight hours in silence.

"Oh, just around London."

Cleo gives a non committal nod before glancing back at the area she works in. When she turns back to face me she has a sympathetic look on her face.

"I'm not sure if David told you but the filing needs to be completely finished before you leave at the end of each day."

"What?" I exclaim as I glance back to the pile that he's left on his desk.

Bloody hell, I've been sitting here bored senseless for the last half an hour. He could have given it to me earlier so I could have gotten out on time. I'm going to be here for another hour at least.

I think I'm going to hex David the next time I see him. If I manage not to burst into tears at present and break down.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Cleo says before she too apparates away.

I'm left alone in a semi-dark office and slump in my seat. I miss my old job. I miss Mr Hastings and Zack and Jenna.

Sighing, I pull myself out of my pity party and slip out of my shoes. Seeing how I'm the only one left in the office I don't see why I should be uncomfortable. And who knows, with everyone gone i.e. David, I might be able to make a few calls to the flats I've circled in the Prophet. Every cloud has a silver lining.

The ones I rang in my lunch break (and I use that term liberally) were complete dead ends.

ooo

I finally finish David's bloody filing at quarter past six. I'm literally falling asleep on my feet. I've even lost the will to eat! All I want to do is go home and cozy up under the duvet with a book.

I'm slipping my feet back into my shoes when I hear the lift ping open. Please don't be David. Please don't be David. Well I get my wish because Theo Nott walks around the corner and freezes for a second when he catches sight of me.

"Hermione?"

He looks me up and down and I self-consciously flick my hair. Thankfully it shifts back into place and I mentally thank the hair stylist I visited with Astoria.

"Hello T- Mr Nott." I say.

"What are you still doing here?" he asks me. "It's quarter past six."

"I just had some filing to do and I wanted to do it before I left. Make sure the office is clear to start a new day." I say as enthusiastically as I can.

"I see. Did you enjoy your first full day with us?"

"Oh yes." I nod my head vigorously before realizing that I probably look like an idiot and stop.

"Good to hear." He says absently as he glances down at the circled Prophet.

"You're not looking for another job already are you?" he says as he motions to the paper.

I quickly pick it up. "Oh no, I was just looking to see if there's any flat shares around."

"Feel free to use the company phone. As long as you don't overdo it."

Huh so David is going to get hexed twice tomorrow.

"Thank You Mr Nott."

"Office hours are closed so I think you can call me Theo."

"Theo." I say his name in what I hope to be a breathy tone. Unfortunately it seems all bodily functions have awakened at catching sight of Theo because my stomach gives a mortifying gurgle.

I flush red. "Sorry. I guess I better get home and eat dinner." I manage to choke out.

"Or better yet, why don't you have dinner with me?"

"Pardon me?"

"Dinner with me. Unless of course you don't want to."

Oh crap I really want to…just not today! How can I say no politely? And then I figure out that there is no way.

"Sure." I agree as I pick up my bag.

"Great, I know the perfect place." And with that he links my arm with his and apparates us away.

ooo

The perfect place turns out to be an old-fashioned English restaurant called Burton's. I've never heard of it but when I step inside I see why. The restaurant is dimly lit with invisible waiters and a low hum of conversation that screams money.

Not the kind of place I would hang out in. I probably wouldn't even be able to set one foot into the door nowadays.

The luster of fighting Voldemort and being the brainy one of the Golden Trio sure has faded fast for me.

"I feel like the fish." Theo announces as he peruses his menu which magically appeared in front of us as we sat down. "What about you? Are you a low-carb girl Hermione?"

"Mostly yes." I say as my stomach gives another grumble in complaint at the lie. I cough to cover it up.

There goes the hunk of steak and the creamy mashed potatoes I was eyeing up.

"I thought so." He says as his eyes rake over my body.

I lean back in my chair. Pardon me but is my millionaire boss hitting on me? Hitting. On little old me?

Oh Merlin I hope so. I really want to impress him for some reason. Maybe it's because he's my boss? Yes that has to be it, because even though I find him gorgeous I don't really want to date him.

You know what I need to do? I need to find another Draco. One I don't become friends with and who I can pass the platonic stage with.

"May I get you something to drink?" one of the waiter's asks and I jump.

I'm ready to open my mouth to order a glass of wine when Theo speaks for the both of us. "Vintage champagne please."

"Champagne?" I chime in. "Are we celebrating?" I ask.

Theo looks at me blankly. "I always order champagne." He says.

Well of course you do, what with you being a millionaire and all.

As the champagne's poured and the waiter disappears into the shadows I find Theo staring at me from over the rim of his thin glass.

"I should really thank Draco for sending someone as beautiful as you to me."

Oh crap, he really is hitting on me.

"Thank you." I say quietly with a neutral smile.

Now that I know that he finds me attractive that's all I want from him.

"I can see you being quite the asset to my company. How would you like to come on a few appointments to see some clients with me?"

A chance to get away from the evil twosome and the boring filing? "I would love that." I say excitedly.

"With a little guidance from me you could get very far."

"I'd love to be guided by you." I say respectfully.

Theo grins and his face becomes even more gorgeous. Seriously, did I really not notice him at Hogwarts? I want to find a picture of what he looked like then so I can see if I remember him.

"Now of course an employee of mine can't be seen living on the wrong side of the tracks."

I squirm uncomfortably. "I can't really afford any of the smart areas."

"Well it's your lucky day because I happen to have a few places for which I'm currently looking for a house-sitter."

"Pardon me?" What the hell is a house-sitter?

"I need someone to keep my houses lived in. Clean etc."

"And the rent would be cut because of that?"

"They would be rent free. In fact I'm offering stipends for the duty."

"That sounds great!" I say excitedly. "Where about are they?"

"Nothing fancy. A three bedroom in Kensignton. Flat in Notting Hill." He says modestly.

Be still my beating heart.

"I don't know what to say."

"Say yes."

I laugh. "Yes. Thank you so much. I don't know how to show you how much this means to me. Everywhere I've looked has been a complete dead-end."

"Well I'm sure we'll come up with some way for you to thank me."

Oh dear. Time to nip this in the bud.

"Um listen Theo." I say carefully. "I'm really grateful for all of this but I'm- I don't really want to get involved with anybody right now."

Please don't get angry. Please don't fire me.

Theo looks surprised. "Oh I didn't realise you were seeing someone. Is it Draco?"

"No it's not Draco." I say more sharply than called for. I just can't take one more person thinking that I fancy him. And did I not tell Theo yesterday that Draco was getting married?

"Oh so it's someone else then. You must be getting offers left, right and centre."

I scoff mentally. Yeah right. I wish.

"No I'm not seeing anybody. I just really want to concentrate on myself for a while. New job and a new flat. It's going to be taking up all of my concentration."

"So you're saying that even if I asked you out you would say no."

"Yes. I'm sorry. But hey, it isn't as if you have to date _me_."

Theo turns sharply in his seat. Oh Merlin. I've buggered it up. Draco is going to kill me.

"What's the matter?" I ask him wearily.

"Look who just walked in. It's your friend and mine." Theo waves his hand to whoever is behind me and as I turn I catch sight of Draco and Astoria.

Draco is staring at Theo and me with a stormy look on his face.

He must have had a bad day at work I think sympathetically. Or maybe he's actually coming round to the fact that Annoying Astoria is going to be annoying him for the rest of their married lives.

But as I raise my eyebrows to silently ask him what's wrong, his eyes narrow and he turns away from me.

Well that stings.

ooo

_Author's Note: So here's chapter two. What did you think? Remember to review and let me know either way. Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: I have no words about the response I got for the last chapter! Just wow! Thank you so much to every single one of you who reviewed! You really don't know just how much I appreciated hearing your kind words!  
_

ooo

I keep me eyes glued on Draco's face as Astoria leads the two of them over to us. She says a cheery hello and introduces herself to Theo whilst Draco merely nods his head at the both of us.

"What's this then?" Astoria asks as she shoots me a sly smile.

"I'm just taking the newest member of my staff out to dinner." Theo replies. "The newest and most beautiful." He adds.

Astoria's eyes narrow at me.

"Careful Theo. Hermione could do you for sexual harassment." Draco says.

There's a moment of uncomfortable silence whilst everyone wonders whether Draco's words were meant in a joking manner. Eventually Astoria gives a light laugh.

"Oh darling. You're so funny." She says to him as she pats his arm. She turns to face the two of us. "Isn't this a wonderful coincidence? I hope we'll be seeing you at the wedding Theo."

My gaze flicks to Draco to see what he makes of this and I see him give Astoria a sharp look.

"Of course." Theo replies absently.

"This is nice." Astoria says all though I'm not quite sure what she's talking about. It seems awkward to me. "Why don't the two of us join you?"

I'd be happy enough with that. Hopefully Draco's presence will dampen Theo's flirtation.

"Tori, they've probably already eaten." Draco says.

I'm about to burst in with a "No we haven't" when Astoria gets there before me.

"They've just ordered darling. It won't take us long to peruse the menu."

"That's sounds lovely Astoria, only tonight I was hoping to apparate Hermione to a few apartments."

"What?" Draco asks rudely and I shoot him a warning look.

What is he doing? I'm trying to score points here.

Theo gazes at me and the look on Astoria's face is priceless. And that's when it hits me. She thinks we're on a date!

I'm not about to correct her anytime soon.

"I'm setting Hermione up in a new apartment. I understand she has to move out of yours Draco?"

"Only because we're getting married. Otherwise we'd love to have Hermione to stay as long as she liked."

I look at her disbelievingly.

"I'm offering her a few places to choose from to house-sit."

"That's great. And where would that be?" Astoria asks through gritted teeth.

"Kensington. Notting Hill. Mayfair. The usual."

Astoria turns to face me and I see her jaw clenching around her overly bright smile. "Well that's wonderful Hermione. You seem to have landed on your feet. Aren't you lucky?"

"The luck is all mine." Theo says before giving me a beautiful smile that I revel in.

"Come on darling. Our table must be ready." Draco says.

"Oh yes." Astoria says reluctantly.

Polite goodbyes are made and an invitation is extended from Astoria who says we all must go out for dinner before I have the pleasure of watching her furious face walk away from us.

"Don't you just hate interruptions?" Theo asks me.

I smile at him. "I'm sure Draco wanted to get to his table."

I don't why I'm defending him. He was being an absolute arse.

I definitely plan on figuring out what the hell is wrong with him when I see him tonight.

ooo

Once dinner's over and paid for, Theo takes my arm and apparates us to the first flat in Kensington.

I look up at the building before asking him which apartment we're looking at.

"The penthouse of course." He says smugly.

I can barely contain my excitement. Life is definitely on the up.

The flat is amazing. I have no words to describe it. It's so huge and all I want to do is put on some thick wooly socks and slide from one end to the other.

"I love it." I manage to say.

Theo smiles. "Do you want to have a look around at the others or is this okay?"

"I- oh this is most definitely alright." I say as I peek into the stylish kitchen which I doubt I'll be using very much but is still impressive.

"I have no idea how to thank you." I repeat.

"Well seeing how you won't go out with me…" he says the words in a questioning tone.

Sensing that I'm about to open my mouth to apologise again, he carries on speaking, "Don't worry I understand. Just make sure you work extra hard."

"Done." I agree.

"Well, you should be able to move in tomorrow. Let me know if you need a hand moving."

A picture of Theo getting down and dirty in my books comes to mind and the whole image seems wrong.

"I'll be able to arrange a few workers for you."

Well, that sounds right.

I quickly assure him that I'll manage on my own before we say our goodnights and he apparates out.

Finally alone, I swirl on the spot before apparating home. When I get there, I can hear suspicious slithering, huffing sounds coming from Draco's bedroom and I wrinkle my nose in disgust.

Ignoring my hunger pangs I creep quietly into my bedroom. I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

ooo

The next morning I'm up bright and early and for once I'm not tired or anything. In fact, I can't wait to start the day.

I quickly get dressed and walk into the kitchen. I don't care whether I should be a low-carb girl or not. I fish out some pancake mix out of the cupboard and get started. I'm not really fat.

Size ten is good enough for me, even though it isn't good enough for Nott Advertising…well I'll start my elimination of carbs tomorrow.

I'm in the middle of flipping my pancakes when Astoria walks into the kitchen.

"Good morning Hermione." She says brightly.

I turn to stare at her. Our normal morning routine when we ever run into each other is to ignore one another. This is a big deviation from normal.

"Hello." I say back.

"Did you sleep well?" she asks.

Is she possessed or something?

"Great thanks. In fact after finding an apartment I slept amazingly. I'll be moving out tonight."

"I'll be so sad to see you go. I've gotten used to you being around whenever I stay over." She says.

Huh?

"Where are you moving exactly?" she asks.

I smile. "Theo's letting me live in his flat in Kensington."

"In Kensington." She says in a breathy voice. "And how much is he charging you?"

"Oh he's not charging me at all. In fact he's giving me a fee to stay there."

"What this?" Draco says as he shuffles into the kitchen.

"Hermione was just saying how she's going to be moving into a basement flat in Kensington today."

"It's not a basement flat. It's the penthouse."

"And how big is it. A studio?" she asks almost pleadingly.

"Actually it's huge. About five times the size of here. And the best part is that Theo says I'll be able to stay there for around a year."

"How generous." Astoria whispers.

I smile in satisfaction.

"It is generous. And he's not asking you for anything extra?" Draco asks.

"Like what?" I say even though I know what he's asking.

"You know like what." He says sternly.

"No he isn't. And I wouldn't sleep with him to get a flat." I say offended. His surly attitude from last night makes me even angrier. "And what was up with you last night? You acted like a complete twat."

Draco seems to soften before smiling an apologetic smile. "Sorry mate. I know you wouldn't do that and I'm sorry for last night. I was just surprised."

He turns to face Astoria. "Why did you invite him to the wedding anyway? I hardly know him."

"Oh darling, I invited him for Hermione of course."

Excuse me?

"It seems Hermione's made a new friend in Theo. Don't you think we should get to know him better?" she asks innocently.

"I suppose so." Draco agrees grudgingly.

"You should bring him to the wedding as your date. Or even round here for dinner."

I can't help myself. "But Astoria, didn't you tell me that it was time for me to be _less_ friendly with Draco? Should we be doing so much socializing?" I ask slowly.

Draco looks at me sharply. "What are you talking about?" he demands.

Astoria gives a desperate laugh. "Oh Hermione. You took my words in the wrong way. I only meant that Draco and I will be spending a lot of time together planning the wedding and that it'll be a busy time. We don't want to cut you out."

"Of course we don't." Draco says seriously.

"In fact, I've been meaning to ask you if you would be one of my bridesmaids."

ooo

I still can't believe what I've agreed to as I walk into work.

"Hello?" I call out loudly to see if anyone else is here yet.

There's some shuffling from Theo's office and a few seconds later, Ruby walks out looking a little red-faced. She rubs down her shirt as she looks at me.

"Hermione. You scared me."

"I did shout out."

"I was just going through some papers with Theo."

As if on cue, Theo walks out of his office looking great as always.

"Good morning Hermione."

"Hi Theo." I say. He frowns at me and I quickly back-track. "I mean Mr Nott."

"I'll have some coffee. Ruby?"

"Yes sir?" she asks.

"Tell Hermione how you like your coffee."

Ruby looks at me with a triumphant look on her face. "Black with a sweetener please. I'm on a diet."

I stare at her rail thin body. "Why?"

"You need to maintain what you have." She looks at me. "And sometimes you need to change what you have."

Wow. Maybe my comfortable size ten isn't all that okay. Maybe I should consider cutting out the carbs like Theo suggested?

I make Theo and Ruby's coffee before handing it over to them. David walks in and moves over to his desk.

"Hermione did you get the filing done?" he asks me.

I have the pleasure of saying a strong, "Yes."

"All of it?" he presses.

"Yes is yes." I tell him.

He gets a sour look on his face before ordering me to get his coffee. Cleo apparates in two seconds later.

"Did you find a flat Hermione?"

"Yes." I reply brightly before turning to Theo. He gives me a tiny shake of his head and I stop. "Um it's in Hampstead Garden Suburb at a mate's house." I finish.

"That was lucky." She says.

"Yes it was." I turn back to Theo but he's already facing away from me.

And that's it. I'm back to being invisible girl once again. The morning passes in a busy but boring haze. Filing and answering the phone for hours on end is definitely starting to have a negative effect on my brain.

The only highlight so far is when Theo came out of his office to see some French clients and I get to stare at him in his element for fifteen minutes.

I'm not the only one. Ruby's looking at him as much as I am. Cleo's sneaking glances at him when she thinks no-one else is watching too. David is the only one of us who manages to ignore Theo completely and carry on with his work without looking up once.

I watch Theo head towards the door with the clients and drop my head back to the phone. I'm actually willing it to ring so I'll have someone to talk to. If this is what Draco meant when he was talking about a proper job then he must lead a more depressing life than I thought.

I look up when a shadow falls over the white telephone. Theo is standing on the other side of the desk looking down on me.

"You're coming with me." He says before rattling off a list of things I'll need. I jump up from my chair and start gathering the list of items when Ruby jumps up from her own chair.

From behind Theo I watch her fluff her hair before making her way towards us.

"You don't need Hermione Mr Nott. I can come with you." She says.

Theo doesn't even take his eyes of me when he answers with a short No. "I need Hermione. They'll recognize her and it'll make things easier."

I half feel pleased at his rejection of Ruby and half feel angry that he's willing to use my name in such a casual matter.

"Oh okay." Ruby says in a nonchalant voice.

"And I need you here to work on the Finchbutt campaign. I can't leave such important accounts to someone like Hermione."

I'm again split in half. Half annoyed at his dismissal of my abilities and half glad that there's another reason for him wanting me to come with him.

Ruby is looking slightly more cheerful as she nods her head and walks back to her desk.

"This way Hermione." Theo says briskly before turning away and walking to the door.

I pick up my things and hurry to catch up with him. Each brisk step is killing my feet. Bloody shoes. When I reach him he takes great care to introduce me clearly and I see the flicker of recognition in the French client's eyes. He then takes my out-stretched hand before the clients can shake it and apparates me away.

ooo

The campaign meeting is pretty boring but at least I'm out of the office. It's over in an hour and after the clients have apparated away Theo turns to me and smiles.

"Well thank Merlin for that. I couldn't wait to finish. One more moment in that office this morning would have driven me crazy."

I want to tell him that I was feeling the same but don't. I'm still a little confused at his suddenly friendly demeanor from his earlier cold politeness. When I ask him this he laughs and I get the feeling it's at me.

"I told you. In the office we have to be professional. If the others see us acting friendly things could get awkward."

Well that makes sense.

"So we're friends?" I ask.

"At least for now. Are you moving in tonight?" he randomly changes the topic of conversation after his reply to my question.

"Um yes I am moving in tonight. Look Theo, I-"

"I know." He cuts me off.

Oh Merlin, what if Draco was right. What if Theo does expect something from me? The bastar-

"I heard what you said the other night and completely respect it. It's up to you to decide who to date but I have to tell you that you're the first woman who's turned me down."

I don't find that hard to believe.

I open my mouth to apologise when he cuts me off again.

"There are no strings attached to the flat or the job or anything else." He pauses for a moment before continuing, "However I would like to go out with you. You're very different to the normal girls I date but don't want you to be uncomfortable. If you don't think being friendly is a good idea that's fine with me. I won't push you into anything. What do you say?"

What _do_ I say? He's asking my permission to be friends with me. He's being perfectly polite. I can't very well object can I? Despite my gut telling me there's something…off about him.

That get's me thinking. What exactly is off about him? When I actually think about it, there is nothing credible for me to think this way about him.

"That would be absolutely fine." I tell him with a smile, fully committed to get over this gut feeling.

I should be bloody happy that he wants to spend time with and date me! No-one is else interested!

"Great. So how about some lunch?"

Food! "Sounds great."

"What do you feel like?"

Fish and chips? "Some lean meat or fish." I say casually.

Theo smiles approvingly. "No starch?" he says jokingly.

I smile back at him. "Definitely not."

ooo

Theo picks another restaurant that I've never heard of to eat lunch in but at least in my clothes I seem to fit in this time.

When I order my small piece of fish and spinach, Theo gives me a praising nod and I bask in his approval.

Over lunch he tells me about himself. He focuses a lot on Nott Advertising and the money he's made. The figures he casually quotes leave me stunned in my seat. When I mention that he must be hard to shop for he gives me a wry smile.

"I may have material possessions but my life is otherwise empty."

"What do you mean?"

"I have no-one to share it with."

"You've not been able to find that special someone?" I ask.

"I've found lots of someone's." He laughs. "But not anyone special."

"Maybe your expectations are too high." I tell him.

Theo laughs off my statement. "You can never have too high expectations. Especially if they're necessary ones."

"What are your necessary expectations?" I ask curiously.

"Someone who's beautiful, charming, has wonderful manners."

I nod my head along and am about to open my mouth when he carries on.

"Someone who behaves appropriately. I mean you hardly want a girl who acts the same way on a club dance floor, at dinner with your parents, do you? I want someone's who is independent. Not too clingy. Someone who spends her days going to the gym and having lunch with friends."

"That doesn't leave too much time for working." I point out.

"Oh Hermione. My wife wouldn't need to work. What would be the point? So we can have hundreds of thousands of galleons plus her twenty thousand?" He laughs.

"Well there's always charity work. I know the Wizarding War Orphanage could always use some help."

Theo gives a neutral smile. "I don't think that would be suitable. She has to know her position. Spending time with the wrong sort of people could be disastrous."

That rankles me more than anything he's said this afternoon. "The wrong sort of people." I say coldly. "They're orphaned kids."

Theo looks at me in surprise. "I can see that I've offended you and I didn't mean to. I merely meant that she could probably do a lot more good at exclusive charity events with higher members of society."

Even though he could have worded it in a better way I understand what he means. I've heard about charity dinners held by the elite of the Wizarding World where plates cost my years salary.

"I want a wife who will enjoy shopping and spending my money."

"Well you're certainly very generous."

"I try." He drawls and I laugh.

ooo

We leave the restaurant an hour later and I dread the thought of going back to work. Back to a place where Theo and I have to act so indifferently towards each other.

As we step out of the restaurant Theo lightly takes my arm and turns me to face him.

"I had fun at lunch." He tells me.

"I did too." I reply truthfully. I have to be fair to him…it hasn't been all that bad.

"I'd like to spend more time with you. After you've moved in of course. How about dinner on Friday? As friends." He quickly reassures me.

I really need to learn how to say no. "That would be lovely."

"Great." He says. "I'll be over at eight."

As soon as we apparate back to the office Theo makes his way wordlessly back into his office and I sit back down at my desk.

As soon as Theo's door closes, Ruby walks up to me and demands I tell her where we've been for the last few hours.

I take great satisfaction in slowly pointing out every detail over the meeting we had with the clients before nonchalantly adding in "And then we went for lunch and now we're back."

Her face turns red and she gives me a jealous look which she doesn't even try to hide before she walks back to her desk.

Ten minutes later and Theo calls Ruby into his office and asks her to bring in the Finchbutt file. She turns pink as she flusters around for the file before hurrying into his office.

Both Cleo and David are giving her hateful looks behind her back. Merlin- note to self. Make sure you don't take longer than five seconds to look for a file.

How great is this office!

Over the next few hours, in between taking phone calls and doing odd bits of filing, I find myself thinking about Theo.

He likes me!

Me! He fancies me!

And yes I've told him that I don't fancy him back but he's still chasing after me and I have to say that I like it!

After Astoria told me about Draco's friends laughing about me I've had this horrible vision of myself- bookish homely Hermione, the witch no wizard is interested in. And it seems a haircut and a few new clothes later I've got a millionaire chasing after me.

It almost makes the itchy tights worth it!

Theo's my boss after all. It wouldn't hurt to be friends with him. And since I've told him that I don't want to be anything more than friends with him, I'm not really using him.

I just want to show Astoria and Draco come to that, that I can be just as girly as the next witch.

ooo

As the clock hits five, I stand up from my desk and reach out for my bag.

"And where are you going?" David asks me.

I turn to face him. "Home."

"We have some filing for you to do." He tells me.

"I don't." Cleo says wearily.

"Well I do."

"Oh no problem. I'll just explain to Mr Nott why I'm working after hours again. He asked me about it before."

"He did?" David says furiously. I nod my head innocently. "I see. Well I suppose you can go then." He says bitterly.

And with a cheery Bye, I apparate out.

ooo

When I get home Draco is sitting on the sofa with a moping look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I ask him.

"Not much." He says before falling into silence.

"Oh. Well I'm moving out tonight." I say excitedly, trying to cheer up the mood.

He stands up from the sofa and turns to face me. "So you're really moving out."

"I had to. You chucked me out remember." I laugh to let him know I'm joking, but I'm not really. I still kind of resent it. "Three's a crowd remember."

"Yeah. And she is my fiancée."

"Yep."

"She's beautiful."

"Yes." I reply back politely.

"And elegant and refined."

"Right." I say before we lapse back into another silence.

Draco gets another sad look on his face and I sigh. "Draco, will you tell me what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Just work stuff."

"I thought everything was going well? All those new cases you've been taking? You're raking it in. And it's not as if you need the money. You work too hard; you shouldn't take all those extra cases." I tell him.

"I think I'm going to need to take a few more cases." He tells me.

He obviously wants to talk so I keep quiet.

"Astoria says that after we're married she wants to concentrate on a family and give up work."

"That's sweet isn't it? Lots of little Draco's running around."

"I want kids." Draco says. "I don't mind supporting my family."

"Well it's only for a while isn't? Whilst the kids are young."

"That just it. She wants to quit forever."

"Oh." I say as I digest the information. I don't know what to say. I don't feel comfortable talking about Astoria with him. Only, he's looking at me expectantly.

"Well if you lower your standard of living you could easily live off what you make." I say trying to look on the bright side.

"She doesn't want to lower her standard of living."

"What?" I laugh dumbly. "Then how can she quit?"

"Astoria thinks I should work harder. Take cases that will bring me more money than the ones that will do the most good."

I know how important it is to Draco to take the cases that will do good for the people involved. I'm so angry that Astoria doesn't understand that and is actually asking him to change his morals.

"What do you think?"

What do I think? I think I should find that witch and hex her back to hell. But then I see Astoria's face in my head. She's smiling nastily and telling me how Draco's discussed my "crush" on him with her. All his friends laughing about me behind my back, making up things on how I've ruined things between Draco and all his ex-girlfriends…

"Look," Draco sighs, "I know you don't like Astoria."

"I do!" I lie loudly.

Draco simply stares at me. "You call her Annoying Astoria."

Bugger. "Term of endearment." I laugh nervously.

"But you're getting on a lot better now aren't you? Since you had your girly day. I mean she asked you to be a bridesmaid." He says hopefully.

I nod my head in agreement.

"So tell me what you like about her."

Oh Merlin Hermione. Think!

"Well like you said. She's very pretty and elegant and well mannered."

Draco's nodding his head along but not interrupting which means I need to keep speaking.

"And she loves you." I tell him.

That causes him to brighten up. "Yes, she does, doesn't she? It's great to have someone care about you in that way. And it's sweet that she wants to bring up the children."

I think of my own lovely parents and my heart melts. "Of course it is."

Draco laughs. "I should be glad that she's got her priorities sorted."

I keep quiet and nod my head. If I speak I know I'm going to blurt out how much I really don't like her.

"I guess I've got some sucking up to do to her. I know, I'll tell her that bloody Nott can come to the wedding."

"Don't say that." I tell him. "Theo's a nice person."

"I don't think he is."

"Based on what?" I ask him angrily. "You told me that you don't even know him."

"He's got a reputation Hermione."

"Yeah, well it seems I've got a reputation too apparently." I think about his friends laughing about me behind my back, "And you know what, it's a load of CRAP!" I yell angrily.

"You hardly know him either. You've only been working with him for a few days."

"You've dated Astoria for a few months and you're getting married to her!"

Draco looks like I've slapped him. Bugger. Maybe I've gone too far?

"What do you mean by that?" he asks me angrily.

I quickly backtrack. "I only meant that sometimes you only need to know someone for a short time to know them well."

Draco doesn't say anything but he turns his head away from me.

Well that stings.

"I'm going to go and get my things." I tell him.

"Oh, right." He says. Bugger, he looks even more depressed.

"Need any help?" he offers but it seems like a polite offer and not a real one.

I shake my head and he nods his in response. There's an awkward silence before we catch each other's eye and smile.

"Well how about I take out on Friday?" he asks me.

I mentally wince. "Actually I've got plans."

"Oh really? A date with a flash git?" he laughs.

The fact that I could have a date being such a hilarious matter to him hurts me.

"Yes actually." I tell him steely.

"Oh." Well that stops him in his tracks. "A friend from work?"

"Yes."

"Theo?" He practically growls.

"If you must know yes." As soon as I say the words I know we're going to get into another fight so I quickly cut him off.

"Look Draco. I really like Theo. You didn't ask my opinion on Astoria. Or Eliza or Sarah. I accept Astoria don't I?"

He reluctantly nods his head.

"Then you should make an effort to accept Theo." I tell him.

I know I'm pushing it. Especially since he's just told how he feels about Theo. But all I can think about is Astoria's comments- that hurt. Draco laughing about me behind my back- that hurts more. I want them to think I'm dating a millionaire.

Draco sighs. "You're right. I'm sorry. I hope you have a good time with him. You deserve it."

I smile at him but there's still a tense mood in the air.

"Well I guess I should go and get my stuff." I tell him.

"Right. I guess I'll see you later."

Not if Annoying Astoria has anything to do with it. "Sure."

He gives me one last long hug before I walk up to my room; collect my shrunken boxes and apparate away.

ooo

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and I really hoped you enjoyed the update! Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews for the last chapter. _

ooo

The next two days pass pretty uneventfully and before I know it, Friday night is here and I'm getting ready for my date with Theo. I thought I'd be dreading it- well maybe dreading it is too strong a word. I thought I wouldn't be looking forward to it but I'm actually a little excited.

My heart actually falls a little when the Floo rings and I think it's Theo calling to cancel. I move towards the fireplace and am surprised when Draco's head pops through.

"Hi." I say to his head.

"Hey. Long time no see." He says with an edge.

I laugh. "Sorry I've been really busy." I tell him.

"Too busy that you've forgotten your best mate?" he asks. "I haven't talked to you in the last two days."

"I know, I'm sorry." I say placatingly.

There's a minute of awkward silence before Draco breaks it.

"How about I come over and check out your new fancy penthouse?"

I bite my lip for a second before answering him. "Actually, I'm just about to go out."

"Oh?" he says. "A date?"

"Yes." I reply truthfully but hesitantly, waiting to see how he will handle the news that I'm going out with Theo again.

"With Theo?"

"Of course with Theo. Who else would I be going out on a date with?"

Another uncomfortable silence. What is going on with us recently? Something's changed between us and I hate it. Mostly because I don't how to fix it.

"How's Astoria?" I ask him.

"She's good. Busy planning the wedding. She wants it to be perfect."

"I'm sure it will be." I reply in a polite tone.

I can sense that there's going to be another awkward silence so I quickly say something to prevent it. "I know Astoria is still interested in wanting the four of us to go out to dinner. Maybe we can set something up?" I say hopefully. Maybe this will get us back on track.

"The four of us?" Draco says dumbly.

I sigh. "Yes the four of us Draco. You, me, Astoria and Theo."

"Oh...Well I'm sure that could be fun." He says belatedly.

I'm very aware of the clock hand moving closer to the time Theo will be picking me up.

"Great. That's settled then. I'll get back to you when I have a date that we'll be free on." I say to him as I wave good-bye.

Draco takes the not so subtle hint and says a solitary bye before his head pops back out of the fireplace.

I find myself staring at the area for a few seconds before I snap out of it and quickly hurry back into my bedroom to put the last of my make-up on.

ooo

Theo knocks on the front door ten minutes after the designated time he said he would be here. As someone who is a stickler for time, I'm quite annoyed when he walks in without apologizing or offering up an excuse. In an effort to not start the evening on a bad note I try to ignore it and give him a bright smile.

"Theo hi!"

"Hermione. It's good to see you." He says. He wasn't in the office today so I haven't seen much of him over the last two days.

"You too." I quickly remember my manners. "Would you like something to drink?" I offer him. Remembering that he only drinks champagne I had spent a ridiculous amount of Galleons buying a bottle of vintage champagne from Diagon Alley. I didn't want to offer him some cheap wine and look stupid.

"Actually we might need to leave if we want to get to the restaurant on time. Especially seeing how you still need to change."

I stare at him numbly for two seconds before looking down at my dress. "I- was actually planning on wearing this." I say in a small voice.

Theo looks down at my dress before giving a chuckle. "But that's a work dress."

I'm still looking at him numbly before his words register in my head and I can feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

I feel completely mortified. "I'm sorry. I only have work dresses. I thought they would be okay. I don't really have a lot of clothes."

Theo's eyebrows come together in confusion. "Why not?"

Oh dear. I want to dig a hole and bury myself in it. "Money." I mutter.

"Oh Hermione. If I wasn't paying you enough then you should have said something sooner!"

I look back up at his face with surprised eyes. What did he just say?

"I can't have such an important person who is part of my company's face not having enough money to dress appropriately can I?" he laughs.

I shake my head at his words. Before I can ask him what he means he picks up the Prophet and quill that's lying on the table next to him and quickly scribbles down some numbers. Tearing the area he hand the note to me.

I look down at the numbers dumbly.

"Didn't you mention that your friend Astoria works in a fashion magazine?"

I did? I don't seem to recall that.

"Why don't you ask her to go shopping with you tomorrow so you can get some new clothes?" He nods his head at the piece of torn paper in my hand. "That's an account which you can use to pay for the things."

"I can't spend your money!" I find myself saying incredulously as I push the note back towards him. Merlin's balls, is he crazy?

Theo merely chuckles before taking hold my outstretched hand and gently pushing it back towards me.

"It's not my account Hermione. It's the company account. You have to be the first employee I've had who's turning down a chance to spend thousands of Galleons."

"Thousands of Galleons?" I manage to choke out.

"Decent clothes and accessories cost a decent amount of money."

I still feel uncomfortable about this. Theo sees me shaking my head and sighs before speaking.

"Think of it this way. You spend a few thousand Galleons on an outfit and it helps me win a client who's willing to pay hundreds of thousand of Galleons. The profit is definitely in my favour." He says reasonably.

I suppose that makes sense. I hesitantly agree and when I do, I see a strange gleam flash across Theo's eyes.

Before I can decipher what it means, Theo distracts me by smiling a winning smile and as much as I hate to admit it, my insides melt and go all gooey. I may not think of him in a date type of way but there's no dismissing the fact that I find him ridiculously attractive.

"Well since you're ready how about we head out?" he suggests.

I eagerly nod my head before grabbing my minute purse which can't hold anything and is so useless I've had to place an Extendable charm on it, before I take Theo's hand and he apparates us away.

ooo

I wake up the next morning and have that wonderful moment where I panic because I get the feeling that I'm late for work before I realise that it is in fact a Saturday and a lie in is most definitely called for.

As I stare at the white ceiling, willing my mind to go back to sleep I realise how futile it is. I'm too busy wondering on what I'm going to say when I call Astoria. She was weirdly nice to me the last time I saw her but who knows if sanity has kicked in yet. How jealous is she going to be when she finds out that I get to buy a whole new wardrobe courtesy of my lowly secretarial job?

Deciding that the only way to find out is to Floo her, I quickly get out of bed and throw in some Floo powder into the bedroom fireplace. Hopefully she'll be home- correction Draco's home.

Astoria is in the middle of straightening out the living room when she sees my head.

"Hermione. What are you doing here? Draco is still sleeping. I'd hate to wake him."

"Actually I wanted to talk to you." I say.

"Oh?" Astoria replies as she delicately raises an eyebrow. I hate how she can do that? Why can't I do it? "I'm afraid I'm very busy so you'll have to be very quick. I have a lot of things to do today."

I can tell she's trying to get rid of me and I give an exaggerated sigh. "I understand. Theo will be so disappointed but I know how busy you are."

She freezes in her tracks. "Theo?"

"Yes. But if you're busy. Well I suppose I could find someone else since you don't have the time." I say slowly.

"Oh Hermione darling. Don't be silly. You're Draco's friend. Of course I can make time for you." She says sweetly. "And Theo of course." She adds.

Fish hooked and reeled in.

"I need some fashion advice."

"Fashion advice?" she asked confusedly. "Oh Merlin. On a wedding dress?"

"What? No! Merlin we've only gone out once." I say.

"Oh." I can hear the relief in her voice.

"But we have talked about it." I lie. "And Theo being who he is, needs someone who can dress appropriately."

"Oh well Hermione. I don't think I can be much help. I don't have a clue as to where I can find the clothing Theo deems appropriate on your salary."

I laugh lightly. "Maybe that's why he's given me full access to his company's Gringotts account."

To give her credit, she only stays frozen like a little scared rabbit for two seconds before crying out.

"Oh Hermione. Of course I'll help. I'll pop right over."

"Best give me half an hour Astoria. Theo and I were out awfully late last night. I only just got up." I can't help myself from getting in one more dig before I pop my head out of the Floo.

ooo

Maybe I was wrong about Astoria? We've spent the better half of the day going from shop to shop buying clothes and shoes and handbags and whatever else Astoria considers to be a must have item. I never thought I'd ever look good wearing some of the things she picks out but when I try them on- well I'll admit that I look good!

And the shops we visit! I would never even dream of setting foot in them. But with Astoria I find myself having more confidence than before.

The sales assistants flock around us as if we're royalty and offer us everything from champagne to delicious sounding chocolates from Switzerland. I wouldn't say no to the chocolates but when Astoria turns her nose down at them I realise that eating them might not be the best way to lose weight.

When we've finished spending an inordinate amount of money on the most beautiful dress I've ever laid my eyes on, Astoria slips her arm through mine and gives me a friendly smile.

"How about some tea. I know a lovely place. It's attached to a salon so we can get you all ready for your date with Theo tonight."

I agree. After all if I'm going to be wearing one of my new dresses then I might as well go the whole hog and do my hair and make-up. I can feel my feminine pride building up as I think of the look on Theo's face when he sees me.

I glance over at Astoria and smile. I wonder what Draco would think if he saw me looking as beautiful and polished as Astoria?

ooo

"Thank you so much for today." I tell Astoria as we sit sipping our tea.

She waves away my thanks with an airy wave of her hand. "Oh Hermione. Don't be silly. It was my pleasure. I know we didn't get off on the best foot but I think that's because I didn't know you very well. To tell you the truth I was quite intimidated by you. You're so close to Draco that I felt…insecure."

I quickly rush to reassure her. "I'm sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way. Draco and I are friends and only friends. You don't have to feel threatened."

Astoria laughs. "Well hopefully we can get to know each other better now. After all with you and Draco being such good friends I'm sure the four of us will be spending a lot more time together."

"The four of us?" I ask confused.

"You, me, Draco and Theo."

"Oh right." Talking about Theo I best get a move on. He's supposed to be picking me up at seven tonight and it's already past half six. Tonight is going to be a real date. He asked me if I would give it a try and I accepted.

"I've had a really great time today." I tell Astoria. "But I best be going if I'm going to get ready for tonight."

"Oh yes, how silly of me." She says as she too stands.

I thought we'd be saying our goodbye's here but when she slips her arm through mine, I realise that means to come back to the flat with me. I don't know how to correct her. I mean it would be rude to say "actually I meant to go home and get ready alone," after she's spent the whole day helping me.

In my internal ramblings I realise that Astoria and I have simply been standing there in silence.

"I can come and help you pick out what to wear." Astoria says excitedly.

"I guess so." I reply before the only thing left to do is apparate us away.

ooo

At five to seven I'm becoming very aware of two things. The fact that Theo will be here to pick me up in five minutes and the fact that Astoria still hasn't left.

I quickly put on the dress that we _finally _decided would be the best for tonight before I hurry back out of my bedroom. Astoria is in the kitchen pouring the champagne I'd bought for Theo yesterday into three glasses.

"Theo should be here in a few minutes." I tell her, desperately hoping that she'll pick up on the hint.

"That's good. I can wait to see you two lovebirds together."

I freeze at her words.

"Pardon me?"

"I said that I can't wait to see you two lovebirds together. It'll only take a few minutes."

"Um Astoria. Theo wants to keep the two us discreet."

"Oh don't worry darling. I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Well-"

"It's just that if we are going to be spending time together- the four of us I mean, then I thought it would be a good idea to heal this rift between Theo and Draco." She says nobly.

Her words make sense. How can I argue with that? I want the same thing.

"Of course." I say hesitantly.

Astoria gives me a bright smile before taking a sip of champagne.

I manage to take a sip myself and the bubbles are in the middle of rushing to my head when I hear a knock on the door.

Astoria and I share a look before I move out of the kitchen to open it.

Theo doesn't disappoint. He gives a gasp when he sees me before giving me a smoldering look which I revel in.

"Hi." I say brightly.

"Hello. You look beautiful in that dress." He rumbles deeply.

I can feel my cheeks warm up. He must see as he lets out a chuckle. "Are you ready to go?" he asks me.

I hesitate. "Actually I've got someone here."

Theo scowls and I mentally berate myself. I knew I shouldn't have let Astoria stay.

"Honey. You've spent the whole day buying clothes for me. The least you can do is spend some intimate time with me."

The way he says intimate makes me glad Astoria is here.

"It'll only take a few minutes. It's Astoria Greengrass. Draco's fiancée. She spent the whole day shopping with me. She picked out nearly everything." I say as I point to my dress.

Theo's eyes rake over my body again before he smiles. "Well she definitely has excellent taste." He says as he walks in.

"Theo!" Astoria says brightly as she catches sight of Theo.

What in Merlin's name? In the time I've been gone Astoria has shortened her skirt and undone the top half of the buttons on her shirt. You can even see her bra!

"Astoria." Theo says warmly as he kisses both her cheeks. "I understand you're the witch to thank for Hermione's new look."

Astoria laughs lightly. "Oh what's a day of shopping between good friends?" She says breathily as she hands him a glass of champagne.

"I know it's not vintage but Hermione's still learning." She continues.

I feel a flash of annoyance at her words.

"But don't worry Theo. She has me to teach her. I know everything there is to know about wine, art, theatre, music."

"Well that's good. A thorough knowledge of all those things is definitely useful."

"I wouldn't say useful. I'd say mandatory. After all, a girlfriend or wife of a prominent man reflects him."

Theo is looking at her thoughtfully before he nods his head in agreement. There's a moment of attentive silence before I break it.

"Well Astoria. Theo and I should really be off if we want to make it to dinner on time."

Astoria pouts but gets up from her seat. "Of course I won't detain you two lovebirds any longer."

I blush again at her words. It was fine when she was joking with only me but with Theo in the room- it's embarrassing. I've agreed to a few dates but I don't want to give him the wrong idea.

"We should definitely go on a double date sometime."

"Sure." Theo says as he nods his head. "You fix that up with Hermione."

And suddenly I don't mind the idea. The four of us, eating dinner and getting to know each other seems like fun.

"I'll owl you later." I tell Astoria. "We should definitely meet up more often."

Astoria kisses my cheeks. "Oh don't worry darling. We definitely will."

I'm still staring at the spot she's disappeared from when I jump up at the feel of Theo's body behind me. I quickly turn around and am surprised at how close he's standing next to me. I make to move backwards to put some space between us but Theo's arms wrapping around my waist halt my movement.

I smile up at him nervously as he stares hotly down at me. His head moves closer towards mine.

"How about we skip dinner?" he growls into my ear.

Oh dear.

I laugh in the hope that he'll think that I think he's joking and back off. It doesn't work.

"Theo." I say. "I-It's only our second date."

He stares at me for one long second as if to see if I'm joking and will change my mind before he recovers.

"Yes. You're right. You just look so gorgeous."

I blush.

"I'm glad you understand."

"Why wouldn't I understand? After all buying you some clothes isn't the same as buying you." He says smoothly.

I still feel a little edgy and Theo notices.

"Relax." He tells me. "I'm prepared to take it slow. As long as you're still interested in giving this a chance."

I nod my head. "I am." I say as I smile up at him.

ooo

On Monday I walk into work on a cloud. After our date on Saturday which went pretty well, Theo sent me a huge bunch of flowers yesterday. I'm not a fan of roses but who cares. I've never got flowers from a man before and it's the thought that counts after all.

I'm so excited to see him that I'm here half an hour early. Maybe Theo will be early too and we can talk over coffee before everyone else turns up?

Unfortunately my dream does not only stay a dream- it turns into a nightmare. Not only is Theo not here yet but Cleo is…and she's crying noisily at her desk.

I move swiftly towards her. "Is everything okay?" I ask as I bring my hand to pat her shoulder.

She nods her head and blows her nose loudly. "I'm just home sick. I hate living here." She states. She says the words with so much vigor that I'm momentarily stunned.

"You're from America right?" I say when I recover.

She nods her head. "If you hate it so much why don't you just move back home?"

"It isn't that simple." She says.

"Of course it is. Go to the Ministry and get an international Floo license and you could be back home by this afternoon."

"I have…attachments."

"You mean a man?"

"Not just any man. _The_ man. Only I think he's cheating on me." She starts crying again.

I don't quite know what to do after that revelation. I may have gone out with a few useless wizards but at least I haven't been cheated on.

"Can't you just ask him?" I suggest.

She looks at me horrified. "Of course I can't. What if he isn't cheating and I accuse him."

"Then just dump him. Look at you- you could catch anyone's eye."

"I love him."

Well I can't really say anything to that can I?

"Do you want some coffee?"

Cleo nods pathetically. When she hasn't cheered up ten minutes later I ask her if she wants to go to lunch together.

After all food solves all problems.

"Low carb?" she asks.

"Absolutely." I say.

"I'm not sure. He- Mr Nott might find out. We don't want to upset him."

I'm about to ask why us going for lunch would upset Theo when Ruby strolls into the room.

She gives me a glare when she sees that I've pulled her chair away from her desk to sit on. I sigh as I stand and move her chair back towards her.

Conversation over then.

ooo

The next few weeks pass by ridiculously quickly. Theo and I go out at least three times a week and Astoria and I even more than that. She's actually fun company when she gets over the fact that I'm not a threat to her and Draco's relationship.

On the subject of Draco, it seems I'm not the only busy. I suppose he ignored my advice and took on all those extra cases because every time I floo or Owl him for a catch up he's always busy.

In fact it's taken a suggestion of four possible dates before I've managed to find a spare nick of time in his diary for the double date dinner Astoria so desperately wants. I'm really excited. Apart from two brief and awkward Floo calls we've had over the past three weeks, this is the first time I'll be seeing him face to face.

I miss him. Even with this weird tension between us, I'd rather see him then not.

Oh well- there's no point in worrying about that since I'm going to be seeing him tonight. I'm wearing one of my new dresses that Draco hasn't seen me in yet and unfortunately some sheer tights and high heels.

When Theo and I apparate to the restaurant, Draco and Astoria are already seated at our table. I give Astoria a quick kiss before turning to Draco. He's staring at me- and I can't quite figure out whether it's the good kind of staring or bad. When he still hasn't said anything after five seconds I jokingly wave my hand across his face. He snaps out of his daze before looking me in the eye.

I smile at him and outstretch an arm for a hug. He moves forward and gives me a polite kiss on the cheek before taking his place back at Astoria's side. I'm left standing there embarrassed before I quickly drop my hand.

What was that?

"Did you suggest this restaurant Theo? You always manage to find the most exquisite places. Isn't it wonderful Draco?" she asks him as we've sat down.

Draco looks at her before giving a cursory glance around the restaurant. "Wonderful." He agrees neutrally.

There's an uncomfortable silence before Astoria chimes in. "Isn't this nice." She says brightly.

It is nice. Or at least it should be. Draco and I are facing each other and yet he's staring down at the table. He hasn't even smiled at me once. He looks so uncomfortable. As uncomfortable as I'm feeling in these bloody tights.

It isn't just the tension on the table. It's also the dress Astoria's wearing. I'm a female and I can barely keep my eyes off her breasts. Bloody hell- I keep thinking one is going to randomly pop out of her dress any minute now. Theo's staring too and I can't even get cross at him. If I was sitting opposite them I wouldn't know where else to look either.

"You look very nice tonight Astoria." Theo says.

She titters before turning to face me. "And Hermione looks just as good." She says to me.

I smile back politely before my gaze flicks back to Draco. For once I catch his eye and I instantly smile. He gives me a small smile back and I rejoice. My stomach even goes funny. It's probably because I haven't seen him in ages.

"It's so important for a woman to dress up, especially when she has a man. You have to keep them interested don't you?" she says to me.

"I'm sure you don't have that much trouble in keeping Draco interested." Theo says to her.

"That's because Draco is perfect." She says to him.

Draco turns to her and gives her a kiss on the lips. "You're the perfect one." He tells her.

I get another fluttering in my stomach. Merlin- am I feeling jealous? I have no reason to be jealous. I've got Theo. Why should I be jealous?

Once Draco and Astoria have stopped making gooey eyes at each other and we manage to order some much needed drinks, I turn the topic of conversation on the back up I'd prepared- their wedding.

"How are the wedding plans going Draco?" I ask him enthusiastically.

Maybe if I direct the question at him he'll actually talk to me.

"Actually they seem to be getting out of hand." He confesses.

"Oh?"

"I was hoping they would a bit more on the smaller side. Maybe you could talk Astoria into it. You've been seeing so much of each other after all…nearly best friends." He says coldly.

Wow. I'm glued to my chair. What in Merlin's name has got his boxers in a bunch?

Astoria gives a tinkling laugh. "Oh Draco. A small wedding. Can you just imagine?" she says with a shaking head. She turns towards us before continuing. "It's going to be a wonderful day. And what's even better is that *ITCHES is going to be featuring the wedding."

"No they won't." Draco interrupts.

"But darling." She purrs. "We agreed-"

"No we didn't agree. I won't have press at my wedding."

Oh dear. Hello awkward tension. Are you back?

Astoria flushes and I get the feeling that if Theo and I weren't here, the two of them would be arguing horribly about this. Instead, Astoria glances towards the two of us uncomfortably before pasting a smile on her face.

"Whatever you wish darling." She purrs at Draco.

Oh thank Merlin the drinks are here.

The waiter asks if we're ready to order and Theo quickly agrees. My eyes instantly slide over to the salad area of the menu and latch onto a shrimp salad. When I say my order to the waiter, I see Draco's head shoot up sharply out of the corner of me eye. When I turn to meet them head on, he's already looked back down.

"Enough about us." Astoria says. "How are things going between the two of you?"

Theo answers. "Just fine. Hermione's a great witch." He smiles at me.

I smile back before looking back at Draco. This time he doesn't look away. He just carries on staring at me with a blank look. It's as if he's never even met me before…as if he doesn't miss me.

My eyes sting with tears and I quickly blink in an effort to make them go away.

"We're becoming increasingly close." I manage to choke out. As I do Theo puts his hand over mine.

"I can see that." Draco says coolly.

"Theo's been really great to me. He's been spoiling me rotten. All the gifts he's given me."

Draco says nothing and carries on looking at me with those dead eyes. For some reason I find myself carrying on. Because if I don't stop talking then I know I'm definitely going to start crying.

"Just the other day he got me this beautiful diamond bracelet." I leave out the part where I didn't accept it. It isn't relevant. "And that's just the beginning."

Theo looks smug at my praise. Astoria looks jealous. Draco looks annoyed.

"You've changed." He announces in a serious voice.

"And that's a good thing." I say. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you Draco. You showed me how I had to change. Not to mention you introduced me to Theo."

"So are we going to be hearing wedding bells between the two of you?" Draco asks in a strained voice.

I moved to look at Theo. "We aren't even thinking about that are we? We're just enjoying each other's company."

Theo smirks at me. "I'm certainly enjoying yours."

At that moment the waiters arrive with food. Astoria and I both toy with the lettuce leaves on our plates, whilst Draco piles on the bread on his plate as if he's been starving himself.

"We really should do this more often." Astoria says.

"I think that will have to wait. I'm really busy at work and with the wedding." Draco chimes in without looking up.

Well that stings. I take a huge gulp of wine so my disappointment doesn't show. He obviously doesn't miss me. Doesn't want to see me more oft-

"But you haven't seen Hermione in ages." Astoria points out.

Draco gives me an impersonal smile. I hate it. "We're seeing each other now aren't we?"

"I'm busy with work too." I say. I don't want Draco to think that I'll be busy missing him whilst he obviously doesn't give a crap.

"Darling. What are you talking about?" Theo asks me. "We don't exactly work your fingers to the bone." He laughs.

So he might be telling the truth but I still get annoyed at him for mentioning it when I'm trying to make a point in front of Draco.

Only when I look back to see how Draco's taken my bungled cover up, I find him looking uninterestedly at an old couple sitting on the table next to us.

Now I'm definitely going to start crying.

"I think I've eaten a dodgy shrimp." I say.

"A dodgy shrimp? Darling we're in an award winning restaurant." Theo chuckles.

"I don't feel too good." I continue as I ignore him. "I think I might need to lie down."

"Of course. Why don't you head on back home. I'll pop over later." Theo says.

I had thought that he would have offered to take me home.

Astoria stands from her chair and gives me a tight hug. "Get better soon." She tells me.

I breathe in before answering. "I will." I turn towards to Draco. "Um, bye Draco."

"Bye." He says without bothering to look at me.

It takes me all of seven seconds to get out of the restaurant and apparate to my old flat that I'd shared with Ginny. I'm definitely crying now.

ooo

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I think the next chapter might be the last one (or second last one) so who's hoping for a happy ending? Please review with your thoughts on this chapter and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Thank you all for your reviews. For the one reviewer with their many critisims- I would have liked to reply to your comments. Unfortunately you submitted an anonymous review so what can I do apart from say that I don't agree with what you said. _

ooo_  
_

Ginny opens the door and as soon as she sees my face, she quickly pulls me inside.

"Hermione! What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry I came without telling you. Are you and Blaise doing anything?"

I see her face scrunch up in apology and my shoulders slump even more in defeat.

"Oh sorry! I'll just go. It's stupid anyway!" I tell her.

Her face is one of disbelief. "Don't be silly. Blaise and I live together. We can have a romantic night in tomorrow. Come in."

"Are you sure?" I ask her as I wipe my face.

"Yes." She reassures.

I follow her into the sitting room and find Blaise already reaching for his robes.

"I'll just get out of your way." He says to Ginny before giving me a smile.

"I'm sorry." I tell him.

He waves away my apology. "Hermione. It's fine. The spare bedroom is ready if you want to stay the night." He tells me before walking towards Ginny. "I'll see you later." He says before kissing her deeply.

I internally sigh and blush at the same time. How come their lives are so perfect? Why can't mine be like that? I was so close…the perfect flat, the perfect job (well pay wise anyway), the perfect boyfriend (kind of)...Why is everything so messed up?

As soon as Blaise apparates out Ginny turns to face me.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"It's my boyfriend. It's Draco." I blurt out.

"Draco's your boyfriend?" she asks shocked.

"No! No- Theo's my boyfriend. It's just we went out to dinner- the four of us-"

"The four of you?" Ginny cut in with a confused look on her face.

"Theo, Draco, Astoria and I."

"You went out willingly with Annoying Astoria!" Ginny laughs incredulously. She has been on the receiving end of many a rant. I feel quite ashamed about that now.

"Astoria's actually quite nice when you get to know her better."

Ginny merely raises her eyebrows.

"I haven't seen Draco in ages. I was so excited about tonight and he acted like a complete and utter bastard to me."

"What? How?"

"He wouldn't talk to me. Merlin, he wouldn't even look at me! The only time he did talk to me was when he got all weird about the time I've been spending with Astoria. He's the one who was always going on about me needing to get to know Astoria better! And now that I am he's getting all weird about it!"

Ginny looks at me sympathetically before asking me if I want a cup of tea. I nod and she walks into the kitchen.

"Why is my relationship with him changing?" I yell out to her as I flop down on the sofa.

"Maybe it's because you're moving on and getting past your crush on him."

I jump up at her words and rush into the kitchen.

"What?"

Ginny looks at me. "You heard me." She says.

I stare at her before my brain finally rejoins to my vocal cords. "I don't have a crush on Draco. Merlin, I'm going out with Theo!"

Ginny's eyebrows raise in a way that tells me she thinks I'm living in denial.

"I don't!"

Ginny rolls her eyes. "You fancy him." She tells me. "Otherwise you wouldn't care that your friendship is changing. Have you met up with Jenna and Zack since you left BWM?"

"No." I say guiltily. I had meant to keep in contact with the both of them.

"See. You don't care-"

"I do care!" I cut in.

"Not as much as you care about the fact that you barely see or talk to Draco anymore. I take it you fancy Theo too?"

"Of course I do." I say defensively as I ignore the niggling guilty feeling in my stomach.

"Draco's getting married Hermione. Astoria's your friend now. You won't like me saying it but you have to concentrate on Theo. He makes you happy doesn't he?"

"I suppose." I say quietly. "But Draco's one of my closest friends. So what if he's getting married. We should still be close shouldn't we? I get we won't be spending as much time together but we should still be friends. Shouldn't he care?" I ask her. I know I'm being self-pitying but I can't stop myself.

"Maybe you should talk it over with him and find out where you stand." Ginny suggests.

"And what am I supposed to say? Demand he tells me why he's acting like such a jerk and command him to miss me?" I say as I shake my head.

"Talk to him." Ginny tells me as she charms our cups over to us.

I mull over her wards and as the sweet tea calms me, I find myself thinking that maybe talking to him would be a good idea. It would be a chance to get our relationship back to where it used to be i.e. without the awkwardness.

At the end of the night I find that I don't need to spend the night at Ginny's. With a renewed determination that things are going to get better I apparate home.

There's an Owl from Theo telling me that he won't be able to pop round tonight and that he'll see me at work tomorrow.

I feel even happier. Now I don't have to come up with an excuse to stop him from coming over.

I get into bed and charm the lights off. Tomorrow everything will be fine again.

ooo

I apparate to work the next morning mentally going over my checklist for the day.

Number one- go and talk to Draco.

Number two- go and talk to Theo. I don't quite know what that talk will involve yet but I know we need to have one.

Number three- suck up to anyone in the office so I can hopefully take an extended lunch break today.

I walk over to my desk and head straight to the coffee area. I wave my wand quickly so I have three coffee's that suit Ruby, Cleo and David's tastes. I hand Ruby and David's over first before making my way over to Cleo. She's my best shot at taking an extra half an hour.

"Hey, coffee?" I say as I put the mug down on her desk.

"Thanks." She whispers.

"Are you okay?" I ask her upon seeing her glum face.

She sighs heavily before taking a sip out of her mug. "I have one piece of advice for you Hermione." She says as she looks me in the eye. "Don't fall in love."

"Things aren't any better with you and your boyfriend then?" I say sensitively.

Cleo shakes her head strongly. "He's a cheating Hippogriff shit. And yet the sick thing is that I still care about him."

She lets out a loud scoff before carrying on. "I see him with this other woman and I know what's going on. He thinks I'm completely stupid. Then again, I still love him so maybe I am stupid."

"You're not stupid." I tell her. "You just care about him. It's understandable."

Merlin, look at the way I feel about Draco. He may be treating me like crap at the moment but I still care about him. Even though we don't have the same kind of relationship as Cleo and her boyfriend, it's still the same thing.

"Maybe you should confront him." I tell her, recycling the advice Ginny gave me last night.

Cleo looks horrifed. "Oh no I can't do that."

"Why?"

"I just can't." she whispers.

I hesitate before speaking. It doesn't feel like the right time to ask her if I can take a longer lunch break but if I don't ask her now then I won't get the chance later.

"Is it okay if I take an extended lunch break today? I want to meet an old friend for lunch."

"Oh yes it's fine. Mr Nott is out of the office with clients all day so it should be fine."

"Great." I tell her before moving back over to my desk.

I don't miss Ruby and David's glares on the way.

ooo

At twelve I apparate over to Draco's office at the Ministry. I check with one of his co-workers to make sure he's not in a meeting before knocking on his door.

At his "Come in" I do so. He looks completely shocked at seeing me that I can't help but smile at the look on his face.

It disappears when he speaks. "Hermione, what are you doing here?" he says with a tone that suggests I'm bothering him.

I ignore it before walking into his office. "I bought lunch, I thought we could talk." I tell him as I raise the bag I'm holding suggestively.

"I told you, I'm very busy at the moment."

"You're not too busy to have lunch with your best friend." I tell him.

"Is that what you are?" he says.

I stare at him before scoffing. "Of course that's what I am. Don't be stupid." I say angrily.

There's a few seconds where the two of us simply stare at each other from where we're standing.

Eventually Draco gives in. "I only have thirty minutes." He tells me as he sits back down.

I smile so my hurt doesn't show. That sucking up sure seems like a waste of time right now. But thirty minutes is thirty minutes. It's pretty obvious that we need to talk.

I move over to sit in the chair on the other side of his desk. As I'm taking out the fancy sandwiches that I bought for him and the salad that I bought myself we sit in silence. The crinkling of the paper bag is very loud and I find myself wincing every time it jolts.

"New dress?" he asks me.

I stop in my actions as I look dumbly down at the dress I'm wearing. I realise that it's another one of my new ones and I smile brightly up at him.

"Yep, do you like it?" I ask him cheerfully. At least he's talking to me. Even though it is small talk.

"It seems like everything you have is new." He remarks as he ignores my question.

"What's with the disapproving tone?" I say with a frown.

He doesn't say anything. Just looks away from me.

His dismissal makes me snap. I bang the apple I bought him down on the table. "What is wrong with you? You're the one who told me that I needed to change. To grow up. You got me my new job. You're the one who told me to move out. To dress better. And now you're angry because I listened to you?"

Draco shifts in his seat but once again says nothing. What a surprise?

"You're not the only one who deserves to be happy. I'm glad things are so great between you and Astoria but things are good between Theo and me too. And yesterday you acted like you couldn't care less about me. I'm supposed to be your friend Draco."

I slump in my seat as I finish my lecture. Now I'm sitting there waiting to see what his response will be.

He rubs a hand over his face in a tired motion before turning back to face me. "I'm sorry."

And suddenly him saying sorry isn't enough.

"So you should be. I sorted my life out- like you told me to. You should be happy that I've got a job that pays well, a house to live in and a boyfriend."

Draco starts fiddling with a quill that's sitting in front of him. "I am happy for you. If you're in love- then I'm happy for you."

I want to ask what he means about the If but I don't want to break this fragile renowned friendship.

"Well then good." I say. I force a smile on my face. Why do I get the feeling like we haven't sorted out anything? I suppose only time will tell.

I push Draco's food towards him before opening up my salad.

"What are you having?" Draco asks me as he takes a huge bite out of his bacon sandwich. I swear I can feel my mouth watering simply by watching him eat.

"It's a green leaf salad- no dressing."

"Hermione, what are you doing?" he asks me.

"What are you talking about?"

Draco gestures at my food. "All this salad stuff. It's what you ordered last night and you left before you even ate that!"

I look at him defensively. "I wasn't feeling all that hungry." I say to him pointedly.

"Well you must be hungry now." He takes the other half of his sandwich and hands it out to me. "Here, eat this." He tells me.

"Draco." I laugh. "I have my salad and it's enough for me."

Draco sighs heavily before retracting his hand. "Hermione, you look horrible."

I choke on my water. "What?" I gasp.

"You know what horrible means."

"I do not look horrible. I did my make-up and hair before coming here."

"You don't look like you."

"That isn't fair. I look better."

"You look ill. You've lost weight and you look tired."

I sit there stunned. I was about to say that I needed to lose the weight anyway but the words get stuck in my throat. I can't believe he thinks this.

"This isn't healthy Hermione. You looked great before…"

I can feel the tears in my eyes. So much for having a nice lunch with my friend.

"Why are you being so mean?" I tell him as I stand up angrily. I don't want to cry in front of him.

Draco stands up from his chair to and his hand reaches out for mine. I shove it away.

"I just want to help."

"Well you're not. You told me to change!"

"A little. Not like this."

I give an angry scoff at his words. "Your wonderful fiancée approves. Theo approves. Why should I care what you think?"

"You're one of my closest friends Hermione. Just eat some more."

"No. I needed to lose some weight anyway."

"You've lost too much. There's no way Theo can think you look healthy!"

"Well he does." I yell at him angrily. "Theo thinks I look great. Our relationship couldn't be better."

"So you're serious about him then?" Draco asks me.

"Yes I'm serious about him. Look at the watch he bought for me." I'm only partially lying. It's one of the presents I haven't quite gotten around to giving back to Theo yet since he wasn't in the office today.

"You're with him for more than his money I hope." Draco says coldly.

I gasp at his words. "Are you calling me a Galleon-digger?"

"Well you seem to like his gifts a lot."

"Of course I like his gifts. It's nice that someone wants to buy me expensive things. It shows they care!"

"Theo's rich. I doubt it makes a difference to him one way or the other. If he cares about you so much and you're serious about each other then how come you haven't met his parents yet?"

"His mother's in America."

"Yours are here."

"We have to be discreet."

"Why."

"Office jealously."

Draco scoffs. "Oh please. He still owns the company and you're still just the receptionist. I doubt your co-workers have anything to be jealous about."

I flinch at his words. It feels like I've been hexed.

"I love Theo. Maybe it's time to move forward in our relationship. After all we could have what you and Astoria have. You love her right?"

"Of course I love her. She's perfect- I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Well that's just perfect then!" I yell back.

"Good!"

"Fine!"

The two of us seem to run out of steam after that. I stand there breathing heavily and Draco's got his jaw clenched tightly.

We catch others eye after twenty seconds of determinedly looking away from each other.

"I'm sorry." We both blurt out at the same time.

We share a little chuckle and I feel the weight lifting off my chest.

"Maybe there's some truth in what you said." I say to Draco as I sit back down.

Draco follows suit. "Oh?"

"I'm not a hundred percent happy about the way I'm living my life right now. I liked it better before."

"I knew it."

I look at him sharply. An I told you so really isn't what I need to hear right now. Draco gives me an apologetic look.

"I didn't know you thought I looked good before." I say weirdly.

"I thought you knew." Draco says. He's looking at me oddly and I can feel butterfly's in my stomach.

Merlin- what am I doing? I force a clamp down on the butterflies. I can't be proving Ginny right. I don't fancy him for Merlin's sake. Astoria's my friend now. I'm her bridesmaid!

"You must be looking forward to the wedding?" I ask Draco. This conversation is a lot safer.

Draco shrugs and I can't help the excitement I feel.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. We're just not seeing eye to eye right now."

"On the wedding?" I ask him remembering last night.

"Mainly, but it's not just that. It's other things too."

I sit there hoping he'll expand but he doesn't. Instead he runs a hand over his face again before asking me how Ginny and Blaise are.

Before I know it we've spent an hour talking and Draco's is hugging me before I apparate back to work.

ooo

When I get home that night I've decided that I'm going to start living my like the way I want it. The way I used to live it. Which means making some big changes and facing the people in my life.

And so that's why even though all I really want to do is cuddle up under the duvet cover with a book, I'm slaving away in the kitchen making dinner.

I've invited Theo around for dinner and by dinner I mean steak and mash with a not so optional side serving of pasta. My taste buds are practically bursting into life at the thought of eating some proper food.

It's been so long since I've gotten that feeling of being so full that I feel I'm going to burst. I can't wait!

I'm stirring the pasta sauce one last time when I hear the knock on the front door. I find myself taking in a deep breath before moving to open it.

Theo is standing there looking breathtakingly handsome as ever. It's only when he shifts to hand me some flowers that I manage to look away from him and down at the sweet smelling roses.

"You're not dressed." He states.

I glance down at my cream trousers and green silk blouse. I had thought about wearing jeans and a T-shirt but well, that seemed like pushing the boat too far.

"I thought I could make you dinner tonight." I say.

Theo's eyes flash predatorily and I fear he might have taken my words in the wrong way.

"I'm so tired of eating out." I rush to tell him.

He nods his head before closing the door behind him and following me into the kitchen.

"What's on the menu then?" he asks as he peers around.

I take in a deep breath before answering.

"Steak, potatoes and pasta. With chocolate tart for dessert."

"Pasta? Potatoes? That's not the kind of food we like to eat."

"Actually I love pasta. Anything Italian. Cheese is ambrosia to me."

Theo laughs. "Don't be ridiculous. You'll get fat if you eat like that."

I don't really know what to say to that. Theo really does not look happy.

"Are you being serious?" he asks me.

"Yes I am. I'm tired of eating salad. I've been so tried lately. And I've lost so much weight."

"You're thin. You look good now."

Which means that I didn't look good before? "I'm too thin now." I say out loud.

Theo laughs again. "You can never be too thin." He dismisses with a wave of his hand.

"Of course you can. It can be dangerous."

"If we're going to be in a relationship then I need a partner who is socially acceptable. Unfortunately that means being thin." He says in a reasonable tone.

"But I can still be socially acceptable without weighing just over seven stone. I'm not changing everything. I like wearing the dresses and the make up." I keep quite about the bloody tights. "And if we're going to be in a relationship then shouldn't we let everybody know."

Theo looks at me in horror. "We have to be discreet at work."

Okay I get that. "But what about our parents."

Theo stand up straight and I actually find myself a little nervous. Was he always this tall?

"Hermione. Let's get a few things straight. I am your boss. Which means that I dictate what goes on in the office. I am also the man of this relationship. I've stated quite clearly what I expect out of my girlfriend and you were quite happy to go along with it. For everything I've done for you, a little discretion doesn't seem like much to ask does it?"

"For what you've done for me? You told me it was all business. You can't buy me Theo."

He looks at me furiously before storming out of the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" I say as I follow him.

"Home." He states. "I will see you tomorrow morning at work where you will be discreet about our relationship. I would remember whose paying for all this. I've had enough of you stringing me along."

And he apparates out with an angry pop.

I stand there dazed before the whole five minutes come crashing down on me. My knees give out and I flop onto the edge of the sofa.

Merlin…I can't believe it. How did things get so messed up? I actually can't comprehend what's just happened. And the worst thing is that everything Theo said is true.

He did tell me what he expected in his perfect woman and I went along with it. I actually changed myself so I could go along with it!

And he is my boss. Merlin how many times have people said it's never a good idea to get involved with your boss. I had thought that I was smarter than that. I suppose the Prophet is true. My mind is definitely not as brilliant as it once was. The old Hermione would have never got herself into this situation.

I can't believe I threw myself into a relationship with Theo because…Oh Merlin- the realization that hits me, literally floors me. I'm nearly falling off the sofa.

I wanted to make Draco jealous.

I have to suck in a breath because I can't breathe. Ginny was right. Astoria was right.

Oh Merlin…I fancy Draco Malfoy.

ooo

It takes me fifteen minutes to figure out just what I'm going to do.

The clothes and jewellery and anything else Theo's bought me will be laid or hung neatly on the bed or in the cupboard. The kitchen will be cleared away and then I'll grab all of my possessions and I do mean _my_ possessions and get out of here.

With a few swishes of my wand everything's done. For once I don't find myself crying. I'm _that _angry! I can't believe I fell under Theo's charm. Was I so desperate for a man! The answer shames me.

Bloody Theo No-

Oh, I shouldn't swear.

No you know what. Bloody Theo Nott deserves to be cursed so his balls shrivel up and die.

Once my bags are packed I have one last thing to do. Gathering every ounce of my once Gryffindor courage and praying that Draco will still be at work or in the shower I floo to Draco's flat.

Astoria comes into my view after a few seconds and I'm so glad that I'm doing this in person so some of my facial expressions are hidden.

"Hey Astoria."

"Darling." She says in that drawly voice she uses whenever she's around me. "How are you? Have you eaten dinner yet? Bring Theo around."

"I don't think that will be happening anytime soon."

"What? Why in Merlin's name not?"

"I broke up with him." I state woodenly. "Or at least I'm going to tomorrow."

I see Astoria splutter. "Oh Hermione why? You were so perfect together."

"No we weren't. I just wanted to let you know. It's getting close to the wedding and I thought I should let you know."

"Hermione. You can't be serious. It's Theo Nott. You can't just dump him. You'll never get such a chance again."

"It's not a chance for me. He wanted me to be something I'm not. He wanted me to be like you and I tried but I'm not happy like that. I can't do it."

"I can't believe you're going to do this. I would never dream of doing such a thing to Draco."

"Well you wouldn't need to would you. Draco would never expect you to change." I stop myself before I go into a rant on how perfect he is.

I can feel the repressed tears in my eyes now and so I quickly tell Astoria I'll talk to her later before popping back out of the fireplace.

ooo

For the second night in a row I find myself encroaching on Blaise and Ginny's hospitality. Blaise makes himself disappear which I'll be eternally thankful about because I dread the thought of answering Ginny's mortifying questions in front of him.

And those questions start as soon as I'm settled on the couch with a Pumpkin Pasty on my lap.

"You've finally seen sense then?"

"What?"

"Well you've turned up with your bags packed which means you've finally decided you've had enough. It's about time. You clearly weren't happy."

"You could have told me that's what you thought!"

"I thought it was what you wanted. The make-up and the dresses. You seemed so excited. But you looked so tired."

I bury my head in the cushion. Did everyone but me notice how tired I've been lately?

"Draco said that too." I tell her. "I can't believe I didn't see it."

"Draco?" she asks lightly.

"Yes. I went to see him today at lunch. It isn't a crime to have lunch with a friend you know." I say defensively.

That's definitely my down fall. Ginny latches onto the sentence and doesn't let go. "Just a friend?"

"Yes just a friend. He's getting married to Astoria. He loves Astoria. Nothing will change that."

She gives me a pitying look of sympathy and I can't take it.

"Look I may feel…something…for Draco but he's getting married for Merlin's sake. Which means I need to get him out of my head and move on. First stop is finding myself a new job. And a place to live."

"Everything will work out. You'll see." Ginny says loyally. "And you can live here for as long as you need to."

I nod even though I know she's done more than enough all ready and I would rather live in a hotel than take advantage of her and Blaise.

ooo

The next morning and after borrowing some of Ginny's clothes (it actually hits me how much weight I've lost when I don't need to make them bigger like I initially did) I apparate inside Theo's apartment.

I don't bother knocking because my hands are full with all the clothes I've bought since I've been with him using his dirty money.

I've only ever been here once. Theo took great pride in showing me his "non" bachelor pad. I remember where the main bedroom is and head towards it.

Inside my head I'm mentally going over our conversation. It's going to short, swift and most importantly will leave no room for deliberation.

I wait outside the door and take one last deep breath before opening it.

"Wake up Theo!" I yell. "I'm dumping you-"

I'm cut off by a very female scream. And Merlin, I would recognize those breasts anywhere. I did spend half an evening with them in my face.

Astoria.

ooo

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and please forgive me for the long wait. The next chapter is definately the last one so fingers crossed that the wait won't be too long. I'm off on holiday next week so you might need to wait until Mid-August if I haven't updated by then. I'm warning you now! Review? _


	6. Chapter 6

The keys I was dangling nonchalantly around my finger fall to the ground with a loud clang.

"It isn't what it looks like." Astoria screeches from the bed.

I can't believe what I'm seeing. Or what I'm hearing!

"What exactly is it then? Because from where I'm standing it looks like you've cheated on my best mate, your fiancée, with my boyfriend."

"You were going to dump him anyway!" Astoria yells loudly.

"Oh and that makes it alright does it? Tell me, have you dumped Draco?"

Her silence speaks volume.

"I didn't think so." I say disgustingly.

"Look Hermione. Let's all just calm down. We're all adults here." Theo says.

I turn to face him. "Don't even get me started on you!" I yell. "You didn't even have a clue that I was coming here to break up with you. You cheated on me too!"

And suddenly it dawns on me. The reason why Theo's never pressurized me into sleeping with him.

The bastard was getting it somewhere else!

"How could you do this to Draco?" I ask Astoria. "He loves you!"

"Hermione. I think you need to calm down." Theo repeats.

"Don't tell me to calm down you piece of Hippogriff crap."

"I think you should remember that I'm your boss!" he states loudly.

"I quit and I've already moved out." I take pleasure in telling him that and get even more when I pick up the keys from the floor and fling them at him. "You can't threaten me like you may have treated your past girlfriends."

"Oh and I've supposed you've been talking to them have you?" he sneers. "I'm looking for a wife. Of course I'm going to search around. Ruby and Cleo may not have understood that but I would have thought that you would."

Oh Merlin. Ruby's meetings with him and Cleo's cheating boyfriend.

How could I have been so stupid! So blind!

I'm beginning to feel dizzy.

I'm seeing Theo with new eyes. And I'm so mad.

Theo gets out of the bed and walks into the bathroom. As soon as the doors are closed, Astoria turns to face me.

"Hermione. Please don't tell Draco." She pleads with me. "He doesn't have to know."

I look at her as if she's stupid. Which I guess she is if she gave up Draco for a one night stand with Theo.

"Of course he has to know. I'm not going to let him get married to someone who cheated on him. If you don't tell him then I will."

"Are you? Have you thought about this? This will ruin his happiness. All because I made a stupid drunken mistake. I was stressed about the wedding and work and I had too much to drink. You're going to punish Draco because I made one little mistake?"

"One little mistake. You shagged someone else! That's not so little in my book."

"It won't happen again. Draco and I could be so happy together. And we will be if you keep quiet about this little misdemeanor."

I'm hesitating. I can't believe I'm actually hesitating! I must be crazy.

"Why do you really want to tell Draco?" she asks me.

"What?"

"Oh Hermione don't "What" me. You know what I mean." She spits. "Are you going to tell him because he's your friend? Or are you going to be one of those sad women who desperately want to be his girlfriend and go around ruining every relationship he has in the hope he'll one day fall in love with you? A real friend would do what's best for Draco and not for herself."

I actually don't know what to say. Could she be telling the truth? Is the reason why I'm so desperate to tell Draco because I'm hoping he'll dump her and fall in love with me?

Oh Merlin- I do want that!

Astoria gets up from the bed with the sheet wrapped around her.

"Think about it Hermione. Who'll be better for Draco? Me…or you?" she says.

The worse thing is having to face the answer. Of course, it's her. Remember Draco's list? I'm not half of those things whereas Astoria meets every last criteria.

I think I'm going to cry. In fact I think I feel the first tear escaping.

Astoria bends in front of me and picks up her clothes and bag.

"I don't think it would be good for you to come to the wedding. The only reason I asked you to be a bridesmaid was to make Draco happy. See, I'm willing to put up with a woman I hate to make him happy. I want you to stay away from the two of us. You need to let us go on with our lives together."

She apparates out and I quickly follow, not wanting to spend a second more in this place.

ooo

I decide to head straight to work so I can clear out what little I have in my desk drawers. I think it's best to get this over with when Theo is otherwise engaged. Merlin- I can't believe I fell for his charming gentleman act.

Stupid Hermione.

As soon as I step through the elevator doors, David catches sight of me and instantly demands coffee. I look at him head on for five seconds before brushing past him.

"Excuse me Hermione." He says pointedly as he follows me.

"Yes?" I say to him innocently.

"I want a coffee."

That is it. I have had enough of getting people their damn coffee. I pick up the phone just so I have something to slam down.

"You know David. You're going to have to suffer and get your own coffee because I quit this morning."

He looks at me with a shocked expression over his face before he smiles. And I don't mean a mean smile, I mean an actual smile. He nods his head at me in a friendly manner before walking off towards the coffee area. My gaze follows him bemusedly.

"You quit?" I hear Cleo's voice from behind me.

I turn to face her and a feeling of complete guilt enters my stomach. I nod my head to answer her question.

Her look of dejection does not make me feel any better.

"How about we go and get a cup of coffee?" I ask her.

She glances uneasily at her watch and then at David. "I really shouldn't." she says.

"Oh come on." I say cajolingly. "You've still got fifteen minutes before you're supposed to start working. It'll be my treat."

I don't give her a chance to answer. Vanishing my possessions so the desk is clean, I grab hold of her arm and link it with mine before apparating us to a café in Hogsmeade. It's quiet and hardly anyone comes in- which makes it perfect for the talk I'm about to have with her.

"I wanted to talk to you about Theo." The words don't come out in the most tactful of ways but I doubt there's any tactful way to initiate this conversation.

"Theo?" Cleo says with an illusion of innocence.

"He's your boyfriend isn't he?" I say.

She looks dumbly at me before gasping. "Please don't say anything. He'll get so mad. How did you find out?"

I hesitate. "I found out because-"

"Ruby told you didn't she? I know he's in love with her. I know he's been cheating on me with her. All those meetings in his office."

To my horror she starts crying. Oh Merlin- I haven't even told her about me yet!

"I don't think he's in love with anyone- apart from himself."

Cleo looks at me through teary eyes.

"I had no clue that you were seeing him. Or Ruby for that matter. Because I've been going out with him for the last few weeks. I was his girlfriend."

Cleo stares at me open-mouthed for a while before choking out a shaky, "You?" She starts crying not long after.

I don't know what to do. My first instinct is to hug her but we aren't that close and I did just tell her that I've been seeing her boyfriend behind her back. I don't think she'd appreciate the action.

"Oh Merlin. Cleo- please don't cry. If I had known you were seeing him, or that he was cheating on me with practically every girl in the Wizarding World I would have never gone out with him. He's a cheating bastard and we're both much better off without him."

Cleo suddenly starts to shake her head. "No, you don't get it." she sobs.

"What?"

"I'm not like you- famous or anything. I was a nobody! Merlin, do you know what Cleo is short for?"

I shake my head slowly.

"Cleopatra!" she spits out as she chokes on a sob.

My eyebrows rise at that! Cleopatra? Merlin, I thought Hermione was bad.

"My parents are both Egyptologists. I grew up in a house surrounded by Merlin knows what. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to bring friends around? With weird stuff everywhere? I hated my life. I was a nobody. And then I got the job at Nott Advertising and for once in my life I could finally be someone."

Her eyes get all glassy.

"Someone glamorous and sexy. My parents didn't want me to work for him. They knew his reputation and we got into a huge fight about. I yelled at them."

She's sobbing again now.

"I told them that I hated them for being so selfish. Hated them for being so embarrassing and for caring about nothing apart from their careers. And then I left. They must hate me. If I leave Theo I'll have nothing. I can't go back to being that person. How can I go back?" she asks pleadingly.

My head reels at the load of information she's just revealed.

"Cleo your parents still love you. Trust me." I tell her.

She looks at me through watery eyes. She starts biting her lip and I know she's hesitating. I reach over and squeeze one of the hands in her lap.

"Call your parents. Or visit them. You'll regret it if you don't."

I think I finally get through to her as she gives a small nod. I pull back with a sigh of relief. Now that's sorted I have to figure out what I'm going to do about Astoria.

While Cleo pulls herself together, I find myself doing a mental pro/con list of telling Draco that his wife to be is a lying, cheating fake cow. I have many pros and only one con. But one con is enough.

Draco loves Astoria.

And no matter how much I wish he didn't, he does. I wish he had better choice in woman i.e. me, but he doesn't. He likes annoying woman. And if I tell him about Annoying Astoria and he breaks up with her then what? He'll go off and find some other Annoying woman and the whole cycle will start all over again.

Isn't it better for me to walk away now?

"Are you ready to go back?" Cleo interrupts my thoughts.

I look at her numbly before realizing that she wants me to go back with her for moral support. I feel obliged to comply. I was dating her boyfriend after all.

ooo

When we apparate back to the office it's to my dismay that Theo is standing twelve feet away from me talking to David. He looks up when he hears the twin pops and with one look at me standing there with Cleo, he quickly dismisses David.

Once David has apparated out, Theo's demeanor changes instantly. Ignoring Cleo, he turns to face me.

"Hermione, I see you're back." He leers at me.

What did I ever see in him?

"Actually I'm just here to pick up something I left." I lie. "Cleo has something to tell you." I push, knowing that if I don't give her a small nudge she won't find the courage to face him.

Theo gives me once last look before turning his head in Cleo's direction with an expectant look on his face. The bastard- he knows that Cleo won't stand up to him. He knows how scared she is.

Cleo glances at me uneasily and I give her an encouraging smile. It seems it gives her the courage she needs because her eyes narrow into small slits and she turns to face Theo with a fierce stare.

"I quit. You can shove your job up your own arse because I've had enough. And I'm dumping you too, you cheating-"

Cleo flounders as she searches for a suitable adjective.

"Hippogriff shit?" I supply.

"Yes," she says as she angrily points a finger in the direction of Theo's chest, "You're Hippogriff shit. I deserve a much better boyfriend than a bastard like you."

Cleo slumps as she finishes her tirade and redness blooms in her cheeks. There's stark silence for a millisecond before it's broken by a high-pitched shriek of anger.

"_Boyfriend? _You bitch. You've been sleeping with my boyfriend!"

All three of us turn to face a fuming not to mention screeching Ruby.

Oh bloody hell.

"You've been seeing her too?" Cleo questions quietly even though she suspected it.

Her voice breaks at the end of the question and I see new tears in her eyes. Oh dear.

"Seeing me! He's been dating me for months! What the hell do you think you're doing sleeping with my boyfriend?" Ruby demands furiously.

She takes a step in Cleo's direction who is now openly sobbing. Deciding she isn't up to defending herself, I step in Ruby's path.

"It's isn't Cleo's fault. Why don't you ask your boyfriend why the hell he's been three-timing you."

It takes two seconds for my words to register in Ruby's head.

"Three-timing!" she screeches.

I take in a deep breath. "Theo was dating me too." I force myself not to shudder in disgust at the words.

Ruby splutters before letting out a prolonged yell as she runs towards me, arms outstretched and clenched into fists.

She's barely makes it three steps before I calmly body bind her and watch as she falls to the floor.

Cleo's sobs manage to wrench my eyes from Ruby's frozen body back to her. Glancing at Theo I see him looking at Ruby's body blankly. I contemplate sending a hex his way but decide to be the mature one.

Huh- I've finally grown up. Draco would be proud.

Draco. Thinking about him makes my chest pang and not in a good way.

Shaking my head I quickly shrink and accio everything from Cleo's desk into my bag.

"Think carefully about what you're giving up Hermione." Theo has the nerve to say.

I scoff at his words and turn to look at him. "Giving up? I don't think I'll miss anything about you." I lie.

I will miss having a job…and money.

Theo sneers at me. "I knew you would be more trouble than you're worth."

His words nettle me. "Then why bother?"

"Because I wanted to piss off Malfoy. Why else would I lower my standards so much? He gets everything. I wanted to take something away from him for once."

I don't know what to say. To my shame, I feel my eyes watering up.

Grabbing Cleo's hand I apparate the both of us out of Nott Advertising.

ooo

I get back to Ginny and Blaise's apartment a few hours later.

It took a while to get Cleo to stop crying and to help her to pack up the stuff from where she was living in Westminster (another one of Theo's apartments). It took another hour to convince her to go home.

Again I ended up going with her for moral support. Not that she needed any. As soon as her parents opened the door and saw her standing on the front step, they burst into tears and dragged her into a hug. Deciding that they didn't need me interrupting them, I apparated away.

Now here I am. Sitting on Ginny's sofa, drowning my own sorrows in a cup of tea and a family size pack of Chocolate Digestives.

I think everything that's happened today is hitting me now.

Merlin- I should have known it was all too good to be true. Who takes a book reviewer and gives them a kitted out flat and thousands of pounds to spend on clothes. I feel so stupid.

Yes Theo was a jerk. But he was a good looking, charming rich jerk. As if he would date me for any other reason apart from making Draco jealous.

What in Merlin's name was I thinking?

I have no flat, no job, no boyfriend and barely any savings in my Gringotts account. I've completely messed up my life haven't I?

I know there's only one choice left for me. But I can't bring myself to do it. No- I have to. Dragging it out will only make it harder. Quickly scoffing the biscuit that I've licked all the chocolate off, I take in a deep breath before sticking my head into the Floo and calling out for Draco's office.

"Hermione?" he questions as he bends down slightly to see me better.

Oh Merlin just seeing him is making me weepy. "Hey Draco." I say casually.

"Is something wrong?" he asks me, "Only I'm just on my way out for a meeting."

"I just wanted to see you and…and tell you goodbye."

That gets his full attention. He stops fiddling around with the folders on his desk and turns to me sharply.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Oh Merlin. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

"I broke up with Theo and quit working for him."

"What? He made you quit because you didn't want to go out with him anymore?" Draco roars angrily.

"No! I-It's complicated and it doesn't even matter." I say with a shaking head. "The point is, is that I'm leaving. I'm going to go and stay with Mum and Dad. I need to figure out what I'm going to do with my life now. I don't think I'll be coming back for a while."

Draco says nothing and that hurts a lot more than I can say.

"I don't think I'll be able to make it to your wedding." I manage to say normally. I can feel a lump in my throat and have to swallow a few times before I think it's safe to talk again. "Everything that's happened with Theo. I don't think I can face a wedding right now."

"He was cheating on you wasn't he?" Draco asks.

"Yes." There's no point in hiding that part.

"Merlin Hermione what the hell did you see in him apart from his money?"

"Excuse me? I didn't go out with Theo just because he was rich!" I say angrily.

"Want to tell me what else he had going for him?" Draco asks sarcastically.

"He was good looking. And he was nice. He treated me well."

"So his money had nothing to do with it?"

I hesitate. "Well it did have a little to do with it." I say truthfully.

"I knew it!" Draco says loudly.

"What do you mean you knew it?" I demand. "It's okay to want to be with a man who can give you nice things and take you out to dinner. It isn't as if I kept anything he gave me and I always offered to pay my share."

I'm quite offended that he's thought of me that way, even after our last argument.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes. "I guess not all women are like that."

"Are you talking about Astoria?"

"No. Tory's great. So she likes the finer things in life. I know that. I like that about her. It's just that before we got engaged she could afford the things she wanted from her own wages. Yes she doesn't make as much as me but-"

"Wait what?" I interrupt him. "Astoria makes sixty thousand Galleons a year. What do you mean you make more?"

I see Draco shift from foot to foot. "I make quite a bit more than her."

My mind is completely reeling. "But you scrounge around for change to pay the pizza guy."

Draco chuckles. "Just because I make more doesn't mean I have it lying around. I want to pay off my debt to Gringotts for the house and the rest is all in stocks everywhere. But don't tell Astoria. She'll want to spend it on shoes or something."

Bloody hell. Astoria so doesn't deserve him.

"My lips are sealed. I suppose this is a good thing right. Since Astoria wants to be a full time mother."

"Actually she was talking about hiring a nanny. She said she won't be able to cope by herself. What do you think?"

What do I think? I think that Astoria's a selfish, parasitic cheating cow. But I can't tell Draco that.

"I think that's something you need to discuss with Astoria. It's not my business." I say coldly.

There's silence as I watch Draco digest my answer.

"I should go." I say to break it.

"What?" Draco says panicked.

"Your meeting." I say.

"I'll cancel it." He says.

"No!" I yelp. I can't talk to him anymore. "I have to go anyway. I just wanted to say bye and that I hope you and Astoria have a nice life together if I don't see you again."

"What? Don't be ridiculous Hermione. You're acting as if we're never going to see each other again. As if you can't wait to get rid of me?"

"It's complicated. With Theo."

His grey eyes narrow at my face. "You know you certainly don't look heart broken that you're not with him anyone. Considering you loved him so much."

I snap. "What do you know about love? You've got your precious Astoria." As soon as the words are out of my mouth I regret them.

"What do you mean by that? Just what is your problem with Astoria? I know the two of you don't get on but at least she was willing to build a relationship with you." He accuses.

Build a relationship with me or my boyfriend?

"I don't have a problem with Astoria. Really, I hope the two of you are very happy with each other. Look Draco you should really get going."

Draco runs a hand through his hair which isn't a good sign before he takes in a deep breath. "Look, come over for dinner tonight. Astoria's great in the kitchen. You can't just leave like this."

I'm so glad I decided to say goodbye by Floo than in person. At least this way he can't see my teary eyes. I bite the inside of my cheek to control the wobble in my voice.

"I don't think I can make it Draco. I'll owl you from my parents okay? Bye Draco." And I quickly stick my head out of the fireplace before he can say another word.

ooo

It doesn't take me long to pen a quick note to Ginny to tell her thank you and where I'm planning on going. Shrinking my bags I put them in my pocket before apparating home.

Mum's out watering the front garden and jumps when she hears me appear on the front door.

"Hermione. How nice of you to pop in?" I think she sees something in my face because she quickly turns off the hose and pulls off her bright yellow gloves. "Let's go inside and put on the kettle."

I smile my thanks and follow her into the house.

"Where's Dad?" I ask her.

"In the shed." She tells me and I step out into the back garden and make my way down to the shed.

As I reach it I knock on the door twice before popping my head through the door.

"Hermione!" he says happily as he stands from his chair and pulls me into a hug. I hold onto him tightly and don't let go.

"When did you get here?" he asks me.

"Just a few minutes ago."

"Well it's a lovely surprise. You managed to get some time off from your high-flying job then?"

I blush and look at the floor. "I was only a receptionist."

"Was?"

I bite my lip. "I quit." I say unsure of what his reaction will be.

"I'm glad. It sounded horribly boring. What made you finally see the light?"

"Well-" I hesitate deciding on whether to tell him the truth or lie. As usual it's the truth that comes flooding out. "I had a horrible relationship with my boss. He was cheating on me!"

Dad simply pats me on the back comfortingly. "Did you love him?"

"No." I sigh.

Dad nods his head. "Because you're in love with Draco."

"No I'm not!" I say blushingly. "He's getting married remember. To someone else. Obviously he loves her."

He doesn't look convinced but thankfully he doesn't say anything.

"So how long are you planning on staying?"

"A few weeks? Months? Until I find a new job. Is that okay?"

"Okay? Don't be silly Hermione. This is your home. You can stay here for the rest of your life and you won't get any complaints from me. I miss you when you're living so far away."

I move and give him another tight hug.

"I miss you too. But I can't stay here forever. Just until I figure out what I'm going to do."

"You need to think about what you love doing and then work in that field. No more boring jobs." He tells me.

I smile. "No more boring jobs." I vow.

ooo

A week later and I've had enough of Mum and Dad pussyfooting around me. Dad's been trying to avoid mentioning anything to do with a job and Mum's been plying me with so much tea and chocolate biscuits that I think I've practically put on all the weight I'd previously lost!

I have to get away. And this is where I find myself apparating to. Just being on the grounds and looking up at Hogwarts makes me feel like my life will work itself out soon.

After taking a few more deep breaths I start walking towards the entrance. Hopefully Minerva won't mind me popping in for a cup of tea. Guiltily I realise that it's been a while since I last saw or wrote to her. I make a vow to do more to keep in touch with her.

The corridors are empty and I'm glad that I've got enough time to stroll up to her office before the hordes of students are unleashed from their classes.

It's comforting to see the familiar walls with their familiar paintings. For the first time in a long time I don't feel so lost anymore.

Unconsciously my hand reaches into my coat pocket and fists the letter I got from Ginny this morning. It contained the normal niceties before the real Ginny had come out. She'd admonished me for leaving without saying a proper goodbye, she'd demanded to know just how long I was planning on staying with my parents and she'd lectured me on ignoring Draco. Apparently he'd asked Blaise to ask Ginny if I was ignoring her letters too or if it was just him.

I sigh at the thought of him trying to get into contact with me. I hate the fact that I'm ignoring him but I just need to stay away. A clean break will be a lot less painful than a prolonged one. He'll see that soon – once he's married Astoria he'll forget all about me.

She'll make him.

I think I'm going to start crying at the thought.

Shaking my head I quickly head towards Minerva's office. Climbing up the winding staircase I find my old Transfiguration teacher standing at the door to her office with a warm smile on her usually taut face.

I smile back as she opens her arms for a hug.

"Hermione, how nice of you to drop by. It's been so long. And look at you- you look so different!" Minerva comments.

As much as I would like to say that Theo/Astoria's attempts at making me look girly hadn't stuck I'd be lying. Every time I wake up in the morning I find myself putting on mascara and lip gloss- voluntarily!

I've also kept some of my new clothes that I bought with my own money.

"I know it's been a long time. I'm sorry. Are you free right now? I know I don't have an appointment." I blush.

Minerva tuts at me before pulling me into her office. I follow her without any reluctance. My eyes immediately go to Dumbledore's portrait first. His blue eyes twinkle at me as he says hello.

Next I look at the portrait next to his.

"Professor Snape." I say politely.

"Miss Granger." His portrait gives me his infamous bow.

I follow Minerva towards her desk and sit in the chair opposite hers. She waves her wand and the papers on her desk clear to make way for the Earl Grey and custard creams that she favors.

"So how have you been?" she asks me casually.

My automatic response to her question would be to say that I'm fine. In fact the words are on the tip of my tongue before I realise that I don't want to lie to her.

I hesitate. "Actually I haven't been too good."

Minerva doesn't comment and I take that as a cue to carry on talking.

"I had to leave my old job at BWM because we were being taken over and then I had to move out and I got a job which I hated and I quit and now I'm living back home with my parents!" My voice to my embarrassment has got steadily higher at my revelation and at the end of the sentence I'm wailing like a banshee.

I see Severus looking at me startled before he uncomfortably walks out of his portrait.

"Oh Hermione." Minerva pats my hand.

"It's just got so messed up. It wasn't supposed to be like this." I tell her. "Why didn't I go to Healer school or Law school like everyone told me to?" I say as I wipe my eyes with a tissue.

"Hermione. Did you want to be a Healer or a Lawyer?" Minerva asks me.

"Well no-" I hedge.

"Well then that's your answer isn't it?" she says wisely.

"But that doesn't help me right now though does it? I have no job and I don't know what I want to do. Should I not have figured it out by now? I mean everyone thinks so."

"It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. It's your job. Your life." She stresses.

We sit in silence for a minute as I sip my tea. Suddenly the whole office turns green as the fireplace lights up. A harried looking face of a middle aged woman comes through the flames.

"Gertrude? Is everything okay?" Minerva asks.

"Oh- there's been another explosion Minerva."

My eyebrows rise at the woman's words. From beside me I hear Minerva sighing.

"Let me guess. William Rookwood." She says tiredly.

Me eyes widen in surprise at the name. "Rookwood?" I say out loud.

Minerva gives me a nod in confirmation. Huh- I had no idea that the old Death Eater had any relatives.

"He blew up Miss Windsor's cauldron by adding a Bat Wing! A Bat Wing! When he knows precisely the effect it would have when mixed with the Ginger root! Now half of my classroom looks like a swamp! Enough is enough Minerva. This boy needs to be punished-"

Minerva raises a hand in a calming motion and I turn back to the fireplace to see if it will have the desired effect.

It doesn't. The woman is still spluttering incomprehensibly. The only word discernable is William.

"Gertrude. Gertrude! Calm down. I will down in a moment to deal with the situation." Minerva says before closing the Floo. With a shaking head she turns back to face me.

"Do you want me to leave?" I ask her.

"No this won't take very long. I hope." She says as she stands.

"Rookwood? I wasn't aware that he had a son."

"William is his nephew. Augustus's sister's son. Perfectly harmless and incredibly smart. If only he would do the work required from him. In his earlier years he swanned through his classes but now that he's in his sixth year and still unwilling to do the work, his grades have started slipping. Nothing I say seems to get through to him."

I watch as Minerva leaves the office.

Two minutes have gone by when the door to her office slams open and a tall dark haired boy slopes in with a fierce sneer on his face. When he catches sight of me he stops in his tracks before realization floods over his face and his scowl becomes even more prominent.

Looking away, he walks over to the chair next to me and angrily sits down in it.

"William I take it." I say to him.

He turns his head to me and gives me a look of disgust. "Who wants to know?" he asks.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Nice to meet you." I say unnecessarily. We both know he recognized me when he walked in.

As expected he doesn't take my outstretched hand, instead he gives me a look to say that I'm beneath him. My hand drops in my lap and we sit in silence for half a minute. Even though he isn't speaking I can still feel the anger coming off him.

"So what year are you in?" I ask conversationally.

"Sixth." He grunts back. I'm actually surprised he even answered me.

"Old enough to know that Bat wings and Ginger root don't mix then?" I say to myself even though I'm directing the words at him.

William turns to look at me sharply. I don't back down. Two can play at this game. In the end it's William who looks away.

"So what's your problem then?" I ask him. "To cool for school or something?"

He doesn't reply and I look over at him. He's sprawled over the chair, his arm lazily hanging off the arm rest and swinging lightly. The ultimate bad-boy.

"You know I know-used to know- someone like you. He's a lawyer now."

"Good for him." comes a sarcastic reply.

"Yep. He's got his own house and he's loaded. Girls falling all over him." The last few words come out in a stronger tone than I'd intended.

Again there's no reply but by the tilt of William's head I know he's listening to me.

"Every boy's dream isn't it?"

"Not mine."

"Oh? Already have a girlfriend?"

A look flashes across his face before he shakes his head. It looks like concern but that doesn't make sense. Maybe I read it wrong.

"So what do you want to do when you're out of Hogwarts then?"

"Are you really that stupid? I mean I know you've lost your brains since the War but seriously." He scoffs.

I'm quite taken aback at the attack. "Excuse me?"

"You _actually_ think that I can leave here and just go into whatever field I want. With a last name like mine? You must be sniffing Humberfunger fumes."

I ignore his remark. "What does your last name have to do with anything?" I ask him.

He sneers at me. "People like you will never understand. You get given whatever you want. You don't need to think about the mundane things that the rest of need to."

"Like what?"

"Like how exactly I'm supposed to pay for three years in Auror training? Where I'm supposed to get the money to study and live at the same time."

"Surely your parents-"

"My parents died in the War. I've lived in the Wizarding War Orphanage my whole life. And they're probably be happy to see the back of me. I didn't exactly play well with the other kids. I don't think they'd be happy to pay for me to continue my education."

He says the words so calmly I can't help the sympathy that floods into my stomach. William catches the look on my face and instantly tenses up.

"I don't need your bloody pity. I can take care of myself."

"Good, because I'm not giving you my bloody pity. Professor McGonagall tells me that you're intelligent. You could get a scholarship."

William scoffs at my words. "Did you not hear the part about my last name being Rookwood."

"My friend, the lawyer I was telling you about- I'm sure you've heard of Draco Malfoy."

William's head turns towards me so sharply it's hard to say if the whipping noise is real or if I imagined it.

"Malfoy." He repeats and I nod my head.

William turns away again but I smile at the look on his face. He's thinking what I want him to think. That if a Malfoy can do it seven years ago then surely a Rookwood can do it now.

The door opening makes both our heads turn to the right. Minerva walks in and takes in the sight of both William and I sitting next to each other. To the older woman's credit, she doesn't let her surprise show and a fraction later she's moving back into her seat.

She turns to face William. "Miss Harringboil refuses to have you in her class anymore. She makes a strong case of expelling you from this school. As do a number of your other teachers."

I glance towards William to see how he's taking this. His jaw is clenched tightly but other than that, his face is masked of any emotion.

"I've been willing to turn a partial blind eye towards your other stunts because I saw them for what they were. Harmless pranks. But this time students were harmed Mr Rookwood and this I can't ignore."

William shifts uneasily in his seat.

"Mr Garrett and Mr Clark both required minor attention in the Infirmary. As did Miss Robinson. Miss Windsor on the other hand suffered major burns to her hands. She will be kept in the Infirmary for a few days while they heal."

I keep a close eye on William as Minerva speaks. He has an uneasy look on his face when she runs through the students hurt by his "stunt". It's only when she mentions Miss Windsor that William visibly stiffens and the hands resting on the armrest turn white. His mouth opens as if to say something before it shuts it again without voicing his question.

Guessing as to what his question is, I ask it for him.

"Will she be okay?"

Minerva looks between the two of us before giving a curt nod. William slumps with relief next to me.

Well well. I wonder why Miss Windsor means more to him than the other students in his class, especially considering it was her cauldron he blew up.

"I'm afraid I have no choice but to suspend you for a week."

I gasp. "If you suspend him then he stands no chance of getting an Auror scholarship." I say quickly.

It takes a second before I realise that I've said the words out loud and not just in my head.

"An Auror scholarship? This is what you wish to do as your future career?" she asks William.

He shrugs before looking down into his lap. "It's not going to happen anyway." He says bitterly.

Minerva looks at me and I look beseechingly back at her. She looks at me in surprise before giving me a small smile.

"If you improve your grades then I see no reason as to why you shouldn't be eligible for the scholarship. As long as there are no repeats of today I'll be happy to write you a favorable review for the scholarship committee."

"I'm behind in the work for classes. I'll never be able to catch up."

"I could talk to some of the other teachers. See if they would be willing to help tutor you in the evening."

"Don't bother. We both know what they're going to say." William says cynically.

"You're awfully bitter for a sixteen year old." I say to him. "I'm sure one of the teachers would be happy to help you, right?" I ask Minerva.

She gives me a look which suggests the idea is very doubtful.

"I'll tutor him!" I state loudly.

Yep, it's another one of those situations where I end up speaking before thinking.

"Hermione?" Minerva asks cautiously. She doesn't wait for my answer before she turns to William. "Mr Rookwood, if you could wait outside for a few moments."

William gives me a look before walking out. When the door shuts, Minerva turns to look at me. I have no clue what to say.

"Hermione?"

"I know what you're going to say Minerva but it isn't as if I'm doing anything else. It'll stop me moping around at home and…I think I might be good at this."

"This is very serious. It requires a long term commitment."

"I know. I want to help. William thinks that he doesn't stand a chance because of his last name. How many more kids are going to be thinking the same as him? It isn't fair. And you said it yourself. He's bright. He deserves to have a chance to live his life without people judging him."

Minerva looks at me for a second before her thin lips stretch into a smile. "It looks like you found your calling."

Before I can answer her, she's calling William back in.

"Miss Granger has agreed to tutor you in the evenings. This will require a lot of commitment from you Mr Rookwood. I hope you realise just how lucky you are in gaining Miss Granger's help. She's the brightest student that has passed through this school. I sincerely hope that you won't let her down."

"I won't." William vows strongly.

"And I don't want to hear one word about your behavior from your teachers."

William nods his head.

"Well I suppose the only thing left is to work out the details. I will owl you once Miss Granger and I have ironed things out."

William gives her one last nod and me a funny look before walking out of the room.

"Well I suppose I could apparate to Hogsmeade and walk to Hogwarts in the evenings?" I contemplate to myself.

"It would be a lot easier if you were staying here."

"What?" I yelp.

"More and more of the staff are getting older Hermione. I've three key staff who are over 110. They require an increasing number of days off for visits to St Mungo's and I've had no choice but to cancel their classes on such days. I understand that Muggle schools have supply teachers?" she questions the title and I give her a nod. "I've been looking to introduce one such teacher to Hogwarts. I think you'd be an excellent candidate for the post. Merlin knows that every other candidate I've interviewed was not as strong in all the subjects this school teaches than you. You would get a reasonable salary and a permanent room here."

"Are you being serious?" I ask her.

A teacher? Can I see myself being a teacher? You know what- I think I can. And the best thing? I get use of Hogwart's library again.

"Yes. I think you'd be good at this job Hermione. What do you think?"

What _do_ I think? My mind is buzzing. I've never even thought of being a teacher before. Would I be a good one?

"Can I think it over?" I ask her.

Minerva nods her head before telling me that I can let her know tomorrow. We finish our tea and I apparate home with a new feeling building up inside me. Professor Granger? Sounds good to me.

ooo

"Sooo, did you do it? You did it didn't you?" I ask William eagerly.

He tries to hide his smile beneath the look he's giving me that tells me just how uncool he thinks I am.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me, _Professor_ Granger?" he asks sarcastically.

I roll my eyes at him and he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Exactly I'm your Professor. And that means that you have to answer my questions with the truth!" I point out.

William scoffs before ignoring me and opening his Potions textbook. I try to let the question go but my curiosity wins out in the end because I end up pleading for an answer.

"If you don't tell me then I won't be teaching you anything this evening." I lie.

"Like that makes any difference to me. I could learn this stuff in my sleep." He arrogantly lies back.

Now it's my turn to scoff.

"Tell me, please!"

William sighs in acceptance and I smile. Over the months since I've taken up the supply teaching position in Hogwarts, I've watched William Rookwood slowly create a much wanted relationship with Amber Windsor.

Honestly and I know how weird this sounds, but it feels as if I'm watching a baby learn how to walk. He'd struggled to act like a decent guy in her presence, he'd fallen on his arse when she'd refused his incredibly pathetic excuses for being an arrogant jerk and he'd finally started stumbling along when she'd tentatively accepted his hand of friendship.

They were just too sweet. I'd voiced this thought aloud in our previous tutoring session and William had not wasted a millisecond before he'd told me that I'd needed to get a life.

I'd laughed it off knowing he meant in a friendly manner. It may have taken me months but it seemed I've finally hacked through William's tough exterior.

Yes he still refuses to talk to me anywhere other than our tutoring sessions but I'm happy enough with the half smiles he gives me when I walk past him in the corridor. The most important thing is that his grades are slowly but surely creeping back up again. His average is nudging the Exceeds Expectations mark and I'm sure it won't be long before we're hitting Outstanding.

I'm not the only one who's noticed the difference in him. It seems he took Minerva's threat to heart because he's been an angel in all his classes. In fact I've had a few of the other Professors thanking me and asking me if I'd be willing to help some of the other students in their classes.

So now William isn't my only tutee. There's Hannah, Frank, Sam, Liam and Katrina.

I'm finally feeling like my life is getting back on track again.

Life without Draco. I miss him. A lot. I thought that being so busy would mean I wouldn't get time to think about him but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working out that way.

Which completely and utterly sucks.

But I'm not going to mope around forever. Nope. Tomorrow I'm going to get over him. Tomorrow.

"For someone who was pathetically salivating for details, you don't seem too bothered to hear them."

William's droll remark pulls me out of my thoughts. I give him an apologetic smile. "I'm listening now."

"She agreed. Only she invited her friends along and asked me who else was going to be coming." William finishes with a half puzzled half annoyed look.

"Well maybe she thought that you were asking her to hang out in a group and not as a date."

William raises an eyebrow. "Or maybe she was trying to let me down gently and telling me that she just wants to be friends."

And the shy looks she sends over to the Slytherin table when she's sitting with her Ravenclaw friends at dinner time are what? A figment of my imagination?

"Believe me, she misunderstood you."

William's about to reply when a shadow falls over the table.

"Katrina?"

"Professor McGonagall told me to tell you that you've got visitors waiting for you in your room. As if I have nothing better to do than waste my evening trying to find you." She huffs before walking away.

Visitors? I wasn't expecting anyone tonight.

"Sorry William. Can we take a rain check?"

He nods his head before gathering up his books and leaving the library. I walk quickly to my room on the third floor. When I walk through the door I stop, stunned to see Draco and Astoria sitting on the sofa.

Well Draco's sitting, Astoria's perching. Seriously, if she moves any further to the edge she's going to fall off. And it won't make a damn difference if she's holding Draco's hand or not.

"Draco. Astoria. Um- isn't this a surprise. It's great to see you."

Draco stands from his seat and Astoria reluctantly lets go of his hand whilst he gives me a tight hug. "Ginny told me that you're a Professor here and since you can't even be bothered to send your old friends an owl we thought we'd come and visit you here."

He says the words in a light tone but I can still sense the severity behind them.

"I've been busy." I say. "New job and stuff. Sorry."

"You look great. Doesn't she?" he asks Astoria.

Astoria has that fake smile on her face. "Oh yes. You look exactly the same before you started working at Nott Advertising. I believe your friend told Draco that you were a supply teacher? Does that mean that you only need to work the odd day in a week? I understand that you're being given a place to stay and food for free but surely a day's salary isn't enough to live on."

"Astoria." Draco says sharply. "If Hermione's happy working a day a week then that's not anything to do with us."

"Oh of course! I just worry about Hermione's future…"

"Well you don't need to worry about me Astoria. I'm perfectly fine. In fact I couldn't be busier. Working six days a week will do that to you." I can't help but slip that in.

"Six days?" Draco asks.

I nod my head. "I have classes Monday to Friday with private tutoring sessions in between. On Saturday there's more tutoring and a homework club I've started in the evening."

"Wow. You certainly seem busy."

"Rushed off my feet." I reply.

"Maybe they should hire another Professor then? A proper one. Although it is nice of Minerva to give you all this over-time."

I blink blankly at her. "I don't take over-time. I'm just doing my job. And I am a "proper" Professor."

"Of course you are." Draco says as he shoots a look at Astoria.

There's an uneasy silence for a moment and I wish that they'd never turned up here without telling me.

"Let us take you out to dinner. Celebrate you becoming a teacher."

I hesitate. I haven't eaten dinner yet but do I really want to subject myself to another dinner being sat at the same table as Astoria. Draco's pleading face brings down my defenses and I nod my agreement.

"Let me just go and grab a quick shower." I tell them.

Draco smiles at me before resuming his seat. Astoria follows unenthusiastically.

ooo

I purposefully pick the new Italian restaurant in Diagon Alley. It's small, cozy and doesn't serve one dish that doesn't contain hundreds of gorgeous calories.

I know Draco will love it. I don't care what Astoria thinks.

"So how's work?" In my head I'm directing the question at Draco but to be polite I look at both of them.

Astoria is the one who answers first. "Oh it's wonderful."

Draco turns his head to look at her sharply. "What? They just sacked you."

I'm sure my mouth just dropped open and my eyebrows have disappeared into my hair. Astoria turns bright red and I want to burst out laughing in joy. Yes it's mean but I can't help it.

"They didn't sack me Draco. I resigned." She says.

I turn to Draco in confirmation and he's on the verge of saying something but then thinks the better of it.

"What about you?" I ask Draco.

"I've taken six months leave." He says cheerfully.

"What? Oh Merlin Draco that's great. But why?"

"You were right. All those extra cases weren't making me happy. In fact I don't think the area of law I'm in is making me happy. I'm going to take the time to figure out what I want to do."

"That's so great. Believe me, sometimes a little time is all you need to figure things out. Look at me, I mean I had no clue what I wanted to do. The last thing I imagined was that I would be teaching kids who are having slight difficulties-"

Astoria cuts me off. "Slight difficulties. Is that another word for dumb?" she says nastily.

"I work with kids who have difficulties learning in a classroom environment. None of them are dumb. In fact some are incredibly bright." I say thinking about William.

"Well it's seems like you've found your calling. You seem really happy." Draco tells me.

"I am." I agree with a shrug of my shoulders. "So what are you getting? I can personally recommend the Quattro Formaggi. It's amazing."

Astoria gives me a dirty look. "Do you have any idea just how much fat four cheeses contain?"

Draco bristles but keeps his mouth shut.

"I don't really care." I tell her before deciding that I will order the pizza just so I can eat it in front of her. "So is all the wedding planning done then?" I ask.

"Actually that's why we came to see you." Draco says with his voice turning serious. "Hermione, seriously, you're one of my best friends. And I don't plan on cutting you out of my life. You must be over Theo by now."

"Of course I am." I tell him before realizing my mistake. Only it's too late to take back.

"Great!" Draco says pleased. "Then you can come to the wedding. You could even come and stay the week before we do get married. I'm sure Minerva would give you the time off."

"Sound's great." I lie. "What's the exact date? I might be busy."

"It's the 1st of next month." He replies.

"Yes, we're having it on the grounds of Malfoy Manor." Astoria chimes in.

My head whips to Draco. "Malfoy Manor? Your Dad?"

"We've reconciled, partially. It was Astoria's idea."

"Well that's good?" I half say and half question.

"It's silly not to talk to your parents after a few misunderstandings." Astoria says.

"It wasn't a few misunderstandings." Draco says coldly. "I'm trying to forgive him but don't dismiss what he did."

"You can't hold a grudge." Astoria tells him.

Draco ignores her.

"It's good that you're trying at least. He's the only family you have left and family matters." I tell Draco.

"Excuse me. Lucius is not Draco's only family Hermione. You forget that he'll soon have a wife and children of his own."

I feel utter desolation. "So he will." I smile.

"I've missed you." Draco says suddenly.

"I've missed you to." I admit.

"And I'm sure Astoria's missed you too. Why don't the two of you have a girly shopping day tomorrow? You can catch up."

Why is nothing coming out of my mouth? Why is there no excuse ready to spew forth? I end up nodding and smiling in agreement.

Bloody hell.

ooo

As pleased as I am that Draco managed to persuade Minerva to let him and Astoria stay the night in the Slytherin dungeons, I'm not too happy the next morning when I meet Astoria in the Great Hall for our "coffee and catch up."

"Astoria." I manage to say politely enough through gritted teeth.

"Hermione. Let's just get this over with shall we." She says nastily.

"I didn't ask you to agree to come." I bite back.

"And how was I supposed to refuse. You spoke to Draco before you left for here. You've completely ruined his life."

"What?" I say shocked.

"He resigned from his job. Just because you messed things up with your own boyfriend doesn't give you the right to destroy my relationship with Draco."

"Excuse me?" I scoff. "I didn't mess things up with Theo. The bastard was cheating on me- with you! Which means that if anything happens to your relationship with Draco, it will be your fault- not mine."

Astoria it seems, isn't even listening to me. "You've ruined everything. Do you have any idea just how much Theo could have done for Draco? He wouldn't even see me after that day! He wants nothing to do with anyone who might have known you." She accuses.

My insides start churning. Astoria tried to see Theo again…

"But Draco and I will be just fine. As long as you stay away from us. I don't know what you said to Draco to make him keep writing to you and to make him come here-"

"I didn't say anything to him. He just wants to be friends."

"And that isn't going to happen. Draco's reconciling with Lucius, which means Lucius will be giving Draco Malfoy Manor. Once we've done some development and sell the place we'll be rich. Maybe not as rich as T-. Well we'll be rich enough. I don't want you at the wedding. You've poisoned Draco against me enough. He loves me Hermione. It's time for you to move on." Astoria finishes her little speech before looking back at Hogwarts. "I'm going to do some shopping- alone. If you see Draco, do tell him that we had a nice little catch up won't you?"

"You think Draco will want to develop and sell Malfoy Manor?" I say in a tone that indicates she's stupid for even thinking it.

"He will when I've finished persuading him. It's why I had Draco make his peace with Lucius. I know what's good for Draco and I'll make sure he gets it. Goodbye Hermione." She says before she apparates away.

ooo

I walk slowly back to Hogwarts. Without realizing it I walk back into the Great Hall.

Draco spots me and immediately walks towards me. Oh Merlin, I really don't want to see him or talk to him until I've sorted my head out. Right now it's screaming for him to love me.

I want to tell him how much of an utter cow Astoria is. He deserves to know before he marries her. But then I remember back to when I saw them yesterday, when they were holding hands and sitting on my sofa.

He loves her. Even though I don't want him to. Merlin, what should I do?

"Hey Mione, you and Astoria were both gone when I came down to grab some breakfast. Did you have fun catching up?"

I simply stare blankly as his lips move.

"Can I talk to you?" I ask him numbly.

Draco's eyes narrow. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes fine. I just really need to talk to you. Please?" I ask somewhat desperately.

"Okay. Let's go for a walk on the grounds." He suggests and I quickly agree.

We walk in silence for quite a while until we reach the Lake. I stop walking when I see it and Draco comes to stop beside me.

"Hermione. You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

"She's a bitch!" I blurt out. Merlin, I can't believe I just said that.

I can see the realization behind Draco's eyes and before he can say anything I quickly carry on.

"She told me. She wants to sell Malfoy Manor. It's why she made you make up with your Dad. It's all about becoming rich. That's all she cares about! She doesn't love you. She loves your money!"

Draco's skin turns even paler than normal. "I'll talk to her. Make sure she understands that Malfoy Manor will never be for sale."

What? That's all he has to say. What about the not loving him thing?

"She slept with Theo!" I say quickly.

Draco stares at me for a second before exploding. "What?" he yells angrily.

"She slept with Theo. I caught them in bed together. That's why I broke up with him. She wanted Theo because he's got more money than you. She said that it was a one time thing and that she was drunk. But she's tried to see him again. She would leave you if he wanted her."

There's a moment's silence then, "Why the fuck are you telling me this now. Months later! You're supposed to be my friend! My best friend."

I splutter ineloquently. I don't know what to say. I can't tell him the truth now can I? He'll hate me forever.

"You must have known what she was like. Why are you marrying her?" I yell back.

My question deflates some of his anger and he looks away. "I convinced myself that they were just minor flaws. In everything else she was perfect. So she was high-maintenance. I liked that. She was just- perfect."

He trails off for a moment before turning sharply to look at me again.

"But you- I never thought that you would lie to me." His tone has turned bitter and I can sense his anger returning. "Why? Why'd you keep quiet? To punish me for acting cold to you because I hated the fact you were dating that bastard? You let a few months of distance override years of friendship. How could you?"

Oh Merlin, no, I'm going to start crying if I speak. Draco takes my silence as a cue to continue.

"My future wife was fucking another man Hermione. And instead of acting like a friend you walked away from me, you didn't answer my owls; you would have let me get married to her!"

When I don't speak Draco looks at me in disgust before turning around and walking away from me.

"Wait Draco. Please!" I choke out.

He turns around to face at me but says nothing. Simply stares at me with hard eyes.

"You have to understand!" I cry.

"I think I understand perfectly well. Our friendship means nothing to you. You'd rather betray me then tell me the truth about Astoria." He turns and starts walking away from me again.

"STOP AND LISTEN TO ME YOU STUPID IDIOTIC MAN!"

He stops. More in surprise that I actually said those words than in compliance.

"I'll tell you the truth and then if you want to walk away and never see me again then fine. But you need to listen to me damn it!"

He says nothing but doesn't make to walk away agin and I take that as agreement.

I try to smile but I feel it wobbling around and so stop. Instead I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. I can't believe I'm going to do this. I'm going to tell him everything. Whether or not my future involves Draco is going to boil down to the next two minutes.

"We were friends. Best friends." I start. Draco nods his head to say he's following me so far.

"And I fancied you." There. I've said it. Is he still breathing? Am I still breathing?

"Obviously you didn't fancy me back. I know your list remember? Astoria is perfect for you. Apart from the cheating thing she meets every requirement. And I'm the complete opposite to her. You were so happy; I didn't want to ruin it. And then when you proposed to Astoria and kicked me out and I got fired and I needed to change for the job at Nott Advertising." I shrug.

"I saw how successful Astoria was and I wanted that. I wanted to feel like that. And I knew that I had to find a way to stop loving you. Especially after Astoria told me that you'd laughed about my crush on you with your friends. I'd been making such a fool of myself-"

"That's not true. I didn't even know!" Draco interrupts.

Well he sure knows it now.

"So I wanted a boyfriend. To show you that I didn't fancy you. I was feeling a little insecure too and Theo was so not in my league. It felt nice when he wanted to date me."

Draco looks at me with a sympathetic look on his face and I can't look at it anymore. Turning away I continue.

"You know what happened there. Astoria used me to get closer to him. When I found the two of them in bed together I was already on my way to dump him. I was going to tell you- I promise, but Astoria promised me that it was a drunken mistake and that if I really was your friend and wanted the best for you instead of wishfully thinking I was your girlfriend I should keep quiet. So that's what I did."

"What I didn't know couldn't hurt me?" Draco says more to himself than me.

I nod. "I couldn't stay and see you two together. I couldn't trust myself. It hurt too much. So I packed it in and moved here. It was fine until today when I realised that she doesn't love you. And if you think that I've betrayed you and storm off again then you're just being horrible."

Oh Merlin, here come the tears.

"Can I get a turn at this gut-spilling thing?" he asks lightly.

I wipe my eyes with my sleeve as I nod.

"I went out with all those girls for one reason. Well actually two reasons. Firstly I like groomed girls and I wanted a family so badly. I wanted to settle down and have kids. But the main reason is…"

"Is?"

"Is because I was in love with you but you wanted nothing to do with me."

I'm stunned. "What?"

"Don't look so surprised. You flat out told me so when you moved in."

My eyebrows draw together before I realise what he's talking about. The day I moved in I had just broken up with Oliver and had no desire to ruin another friendship. And so I'd told Draco _jokingly_ that there would be no way I would ever go out with him. Oh Merlin, I had mock warned him not to fall in love with me!

Oh the injustice of it all!

"I believed you. And anyway. Why would someone like you want someone like me?"

"Someone like you? You're way better then me!"

Draco scoffs. "I'm a lawyer for Merlin's sake. I worked nine to five and sat at a desk all day long. You had a job that you loved, loved your family, loved your life. Why would you want to settle down with someone as boring as me? I didn't know what was worse. Living with you and knowing I couldn't have you or living without you and not having anything to break my monotonous, grey life."

"But you were always telling me to grow up!"

Draco actually blushes. "I was jealous. I thought that if you maybe grew up and got a job you might find me less boring and then I'd stand a chance."

We don't say anything for the next minute. I want to desperately break the silence but I don't know what to say and so I pretend to be interested in the frolicking of the Giant Squid.

"So if I have this right it means we were both in love with each other and dated other people to get rid of our feelings and both our other halves turned out to be tossers. Have I got it right?"

I nod. There's another silence.

"So any chance a successful Professor like yourself might consider going on a date with a currently unemployed ex-lawyer like me?"

Be still my beating heart. I've waited and wanted this for so long but now that he's actually asking me out I feel horribly embarrassed. I tell him so.

"Oh please. It's me you're talking to. I've seen you first thing in the morning. I've seen juice come out of your nose when you laughed too hard at that movie."

"Are you always going to remember that?"

"Nope. Just the next time I want to embarrass you or blackmail you into doing something for me." He grins at me.

I shake my head but still don't answer him. And then he slips his hand into mine. I swear my heart is going to jump out of my chest any second. I suppose I should get some magical feeling like in the books that Jenna used to review at BWM. But to be honest it just feels warm and lovely.

"Let's skip the dating bit." He tells me.

"What?" I asked stunned.

"We already know each other. Too well it seems. We were living together for a while. Let's get married. I've already got a wedding booked."

"You can't be serious!" I exclaim.

Merlin, he's gone crazy!

"Of course I'm serious. What's stopping us?"

I splutter. "Astoria."

"I'll break up with her as soon as I see her next. What else?" he asks.

There's more spluttering on my half. "You mean it."

"Of course I mean it. I've waited long enough for you Hermione Granger. I'm not waiting any longer."

I think I'm getting that gooey feeling that I've only ever read about. No man's ever talked to me like this before!

Draco tilts my chin up and I see his face lowering towards mine. All I have time for is to gasp in a little breath before his lips cover mine in the most wonderful kiss.

I can't help but smile and Draco pulls away.

"Well what do you say?"

What do I say? Annoying Hermione? Sounds bloody great!

ooo

_Author's Note: The End. I hope you enjoyed reading the story.  
_


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